People in Newark have spoken of the impact 100 job losses will have on the town. They spoke of the struggles in battling through the cost of living crisis and difficulty in finding jobs.
The decision of Goodlife Foods to move its operations to mainland Europe, therefore, represents a "big loss", residents said. The food manufacturer operates from a factory in Brunel Drive and this will shut on May 6.
The factory closure follows a consultation, with company directors saying no other "suitable or viable" solution could be found as they blamed "challenging trading conditions" in the UK market. It means around 100 workers will lose their jobs.
READ MORE: Company to cease trading at Newark factory with staff set to lose jobs next month
Retired Macfarlane, who lives in the area, was among people in the community to raise concerns about the job losses. She told Nottinghamshire Live: "It is bad news for our town for sure. People are struggling with affording to live and finding jobs as it is."
The 77-year-old went on and said: "It is a big loss for Newark. It is sad to see a big company leaving." Nagma Giri, the owner of Fariya Designs in Appleton Gate, spoke about the wider impact of Covid and Brexit on local businesses.
The 31-year-old said: "It does feel like the final nail in the coffin. Brexit and lockdown came one after another and it affected business." The young entrepreneur continued: "But I think there are plenty of jobs in Newark, it depends what you are after."
However, others were more hopeful about job prospects in their hometown. Harry Mcginley, who works for Newark & Sherwood Locksmith, said: "Newark is a great town and people from London even are looking to come here. There are many job opportunities and it is a great place to live in."
The 25-year-old added: "I was contracted by Goodlife Foods before so I have been to their unit a few times. I think there are other jobs and firms out there looking to hire."
Officials at Goodlife Foods said staff would be "supported" to find alternative employment. The manufacturer employs around 600 people across all of its sites and produces more than four million snacks at its bases in The Netherlands, England and Denmark.
The company said in a trading announcement: "The decision has been driven by the challenging trading conditions that we have experienced in the UK market over recent years and that we believe we would continue to face into 2022 and beyond. By moving our production out of the UK, we can leverage the benefits of scale and efficiencies that the wider Group can offer.
"We will continue to manufacture product at our Newark site up until the closure date of May 6, 2022. Leading up to this date we will be working closely with and supporting our colleagues in Newark to find alternative employment outside of Goodlife Foods."
