Council bosses remain uncertain over what will become of a Newcastle confectionery factory after it shuts down.
Nestlé is due to close its facility in Fawdon by the end of this year, with around 475 jobs expected to be lost as decades of sweet production at the site comes to an end. Councillors were told on Monday that the closure, an exact date for which has not been set, would have “huge ramifications” for Newcastle.
And, while city leaders have expressed a desire for the Rowan Drive site to be taken over by another large employer, there remains no confirmation of what the future holds for the long-standing factory. Alex Hay, Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member responsible for jobs, told a scrutiny panel that he hoped to know more after a meeting of a special taskforce this Friday.
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He said: “Nestlé and the decision to close has had huge ramifications for the city and has been an incredibly disappointing decision.”
Coun Hay added: “Work is underway to identify something to ensure that it remains an employment site and remains for a use that provides jobs to residents in the city. We will have more information after Friday’s meeting. But at this stage we are not 100% sure what is happening and what we are able to confirm.”
Nestlé had first announced its plans to close the Fawdon site more than two years ago, with production of popular snacks like Rolos and Fruit Pastilles moving to plants in the Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, and West Yorkshire. A taskforce was then set up in 2022 – involving Nestlé, the council, unions, and the government among others – to try and support the hundreds of employees whose jobs are being cut.
Coun Hay confirmed at Monday’s meeting of the local authority’s Economy, Jobs and Skills Scrutiny Committee that Nestlé had provided English and maths training to support workers seeking new employment. Staff are also being helped to retrain into other professions, including HGV driving and dog grooming.
A Nestlé spokesperson said: “Ever since we announced the closure of our Fawdon factory we have been very clear that supporting our employees is a priority for us.
"A local taskforce is looking at this and we are working with a wide range of partners to provide help for people to find new roles and train in new skills. The closure of the site is on track to be complete by the end of 2023 as expected.”
