Highland Council leader expresses 'grave concerns' over Grantown job losses
The leader of Highland Council has expressed her grave concern about the future of jobs at the Spey Valley Smokehouse in Grantown.
It comes after employers Young’s Seafood announced that they would be shutting the facility at the town's Achnagonalin industrial estate after losing out on a big-money supermarket contract.
Sainsbury's has decided to start using Marine Harvest for the supply of most of its salmon rather than Young's.
Twenty-four jobs are expected to go in the town and hundreds more will be lost at the company's much larger site in Fraserburgh where 900 staff are employed.
Councillor Margaret Davidson (Independent) said: "I am very disappointed to hear the news of the potential job losses at Grantown where the smokehouse is a well-established and important local employer.
"The firm is reported to be facing restructuring which could affect 24 jobs In Grantown on top of the earlier 30 jobs lost in May this year.
"This will clearly have a direct impact on the community and economy of Badenoch and Spey.
"The council will work with its partners to support those affected through the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) Initiative and also seek to secure a sustainable future use for the premises."
It is the latest jobs blow to hit the town in quick succession following the demise of building firm McLeods; the closure of the shop and restaurant at Revack and redundancies at engineering firm MacKellar's.