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16
Jan
Staff and councillors receive assurances on future of Yorkshire Dales cheese factory
Staff and local councillors have been assured of a multi-national food producer’s commitment to keeping a Yorkshire Dales cheese factory open.
The reassurance comes after Saputo Dairy UK announced it was planning to close Wensleydale Creamery’s Kirkby Malzeard plant, which is situated between Ripon, Pateley Bridge and Masham.
The move puts around 80 jobs at risk, as reported yesterday (January 15) here.
It is understood the closure will take place in July following the consultation with staff.
The move would end more than 100 years of cheese production in the village.
The plant handles blending and packing for the cheesemaker, whose main production facilities are based in Hawes, where commercial cheesemaking has taken place for almost 130 years.
The origins of Wensleydale cheese can be traced back to the 12th century when cheesemaking skills were brought to the dale by French Cistercian monks who settled at monasteries in the area.
The proposed closure of the Kirkby Malzeard plant has sparked fears for the future of the Hawes factory, which is one of the biggest employers in the Yorkshire Dales.
Jill McMullon, chairman of Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council, said:
I am very concerned about the workforce. Wensleydale Creamery is the main employer in Hawes.
Any major changes will have a major impact, not only on the factory itself but also on the area as a whole. The visitor centre brings a lot of people to the town. We are reliant on tourism and any changes could be catastrophic to the whole area.
Steven Douglas, president and chief operating officer of Saputo Dairy UK, visited Hawes to speak with dairy staff earlier this week.
In correspondence with the parish council, the company boss said he understood the concerns surrounding the Hawes facility.
He admitted there were a “small number of individuals” who split their time between Hawes and Kirkby Malzeard who were impacted by the proposal to close the site near Ripon.
He added:
We have spoken to them and will support them throughout the consultation process. Beyond that, let me reassure you once again of our commitment to the Wensleydale Creamery, the visitor centre and the employees.
I was in Hawes yesterday offering that same reassurance directly to our colleagues based there and they know they have our full support.
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