Burnley printers to close: 80 jobs go

The employees at St Ives, formerly part of Marks and Spencer’s printing arm, were told the shock news on Wednesday.

Some of the workers had been there for more than 30 years.

SP Group, a St Ives Group company, confirmed to the Burnley Express it has proposed to close its Burnley facility in Widow Hill Road.

All print and finishing capabilities will be transferred from Burnley to the SP Group’s Redditch site.

A worker, who did not wish to be named, said: “We were called in to a meeting on Wednesday morning and told the news.

“We are all really shocked, it came totally out of the blue. Some of us have been here for many years.”

A spokesman for the company said: “The decision has been reached as part of the SP Group’s strategy to consolidate its manufacturing operations into a single location, in response to the current market conditions.

“Just over 80 employees will be affected by the move, however there are ongoing discussions around opportunities in Redditch and the wider St Ives Group with those affected.

“The SP Board is confident that consolidating and restructuring the manufacturing base will enable the business to offer better value to clients, while lowering cost base and maximising shareholder value.”