Diageo will leave us ‘devastated’

Kilmarnock must prepare for the worst, says its MP as he warns of knock-on effects

By Scott Macnab

Published:

Des Browne: “real contribution”

An economic recovery plan has been called for to help a town facing the loss of 700 whisky jobs.

Drinks giant Diageo announced last week that it was to press ahead with plans to close its Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock, despite a cross-party campaign to save it from the axe.

Now former Scottish secretary Des Browne, who represents the town at Westminster, is warning that it must prepare for the worst.

“Kilmarnock will be devastated if the plant closes,” he said.

“It will ruin the lives and futures of people in our town.

“But because the Scottish Government plan failed to convince Diageo to do the right thing, we have to prepare for the worst.

“There is not a person in Kilmarnock who isn’t connected to Johnnie Walker in some way. Local businesses depend on Diageo workers spending money in the town. The knock-on effects are frightening.”

Diageo is also cutting 200 jobs in Glasgow, but will create 400 in Fife.

A consultation with the unions and staff is continuing.

First Minister Alex Salmond led a high-profile march through Kilmarnock aimed at securing a climbdown from Diageo bosses.

But they announced last Wednesday that the closures would go ahead and rejected an alternative business plan drawn up by a Scottish Government-backed taskforce.

Mr Browne said attention must now switch to creating jobs and called for a Kilmarnock Recovery Plan to ensure an “unemployment blackspot” does not develop.

“The people of Kilmarnock want to work – they don’t want to languish on the dole,” he added.

“I want the SNP Government and Diageo to make a real contribution to the town.

“They have turned their face on the workforce and its generations of loyalty, and the very least they need to do now is ensure the money is there to attract jobs to Kilmarnock.

“Within 24 hours of the closure announcement being made, I met Paul Walsh, the chief executive.

“I secured from him a commitment that Diageo would make a meaningful contribution to the town of Kilmarnock.

“I intend to hold him to that commitment.”