The owner of a closure-threatened fish factory has offered hope to hundreds of workers facing redundancy by revealing it plans to try to find a buyer for the plant.
Young’s Seafood is consulting with 900 staff about shutting its factory at Fraserburgh after losing a contract with supermarket giant Sainsbury’s.
Community leaders have warned the port will be left “devastated” if the Watermill Road factory closes its doors.
But Young’s chief executive Pete Ward has told The Press and Journal that another firm taking over the site and potentially securing jobs was one possible scenario.
Mr Ward said: “During the consultation period, we are seeking input from all interested parties over what options are available to us and these views will be fully taken into account before any decision is made.
“A sale of the Fraserburgh site and cold store, in addition to other options, will be pursued and discussed as part of the consultation process.”
The port’s harbour master said last night that almost everyone in the town would be impacted in some way if the factory closed.
Andrew Ironside added: “It’s bad news for the whole community and the people employed there.
“It will obviously affect a lot of other people who have work there, like lorry companies and forklift operators. It will have a significant effect on the community.
“There’s 900 people employed, and the potential for them to all lose their jobs will definitely have a significant impact. It really is terrible news.”
Scottish Enterprise said it would offer advice to anyone at the factory who lost their job.
A spokeswoman for the agency said: “This will be an anxious time for employees at Young’s, but we are working with the company to explore all possible options of support.
“In the event of any job losses, we will work closely with Skills Development Scotland which will deliver PACE (partnership action for continuing employment) support to staff, including advice to help them secure appropriate alternative employment and retraining opportunities.”
Belinda Miller, Aberdeenshire Council’s head of economic development, added that although the decision by Young’s to potentially leave hundreds out of a job was “hugely disappointing”, the council would continue to work with the firm.
“This is obviously a significant blow to the area’s economy and the ongoing regeneration of Fraserburgh,” she said.
“It is disappointing that one contract relating to salmon can have such an impact on the UK’s largest white fish processing region and a significant section of its skilled workforce.
“Although the decision by Young’s is hugely disappointing and unfortunate, we will continue to work with the firm where possible to investigate
the options available.”
The Scottish Government has yet to reveal if a task force will provide assistance to the workers and the town, but Business Minister Fergus Ewing said that with partner agencies it would provide any assistance Young’s needed.
He added that the future of the factory’s skilled workforce was a “priority”.
Meanwhile, a notice circulated to the factory’s workforce said that production at Watermill Road was “likely” to continue into early 2016.
Young’s lost a £100million contract to supply Sainsbury’s with salmon earlier this year, and its Spey Valley Smokehouse at Grantown, which employs about 25 people, is also under threat.