Closure of bakery puts jobs at risk

CLOSING down . . . Lisa Bakery in Coldhurst

SIXTY-five jobs in Oldham are likely to go with the closure of the Lisa Bakery.

Owners McCambridge has announced the closure of two of its factories as part of its strategy to streamline the business.

Group commercial director Neil Fraser said Lisa Bakery, in Coldhurst Street, Coldhurst, which produces predominately Swiss and mini rolls, has “physical constraints which do not facilitate economic growth”.William Lusty, in Heywood, which manufactures slab cakes, is also in danger for the same reasons.

Both were acquired by the Dublin-based McCambridge Group in July, 2007, when Inter Link Foods was bought out of administration.

“It is proposed to transfer the production at these sites to other North-West-based manufacturing facilities within the Own Label division of the McCambridge Group,” said Mr Fraser.

He added: “We are not walking away from these products, we are just going to move them, and obviously this will require staffing at the other sites.”

Admitting that there will be some jobs at risk, Mr Fraser said it was too early to state how many.

The equivalent of around 65 full-time staff are employed at Lisa Bakery, and 40 at William Lusty.

The firm will now enter into consultations with the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union, and its employees on the proposals, which are expected to last a minimum of 30 days.