Blow as Fishers closes for good
Fishers has now confirmed its Perth laundry will close with immediate effect - resulting in up to 84 redundancies.
The Inveralmond Industrial Estate site had been mothballed amid the coronavirus outbreak and a period of consultation with staff took place.
During the consultation period, Fishers says its management team examined a range of options in an effort to avoid closure, including a number of suggestions from its Perth staff.
Due to its location, the Perth facility, which services hotels in the Highlands and Islands amongst other areas, has been particularly affected.
Managing director of the textile rental and commercial laundry company Michael Jones said “every stone” had been turned over in an attempt to avoid the closure.
“This has been an incredibly hard decision, closing a good laundry and losing great people, many with long service,” Mr Jones said.
“We have turned over every stone looking for alternatives, but we have to be prepared for uncertain times ahead.
“We are working very hard to have our Cupar and Glasgow laundries ready to ramp up production, with safe distancing and increased hygiene measures in place, in time for the reopening of hotels.”
Assistant engineer Gavin Fowler, who had worked for Fishers for 25 years, described the closing of the company’s Perth base as “heartbreaking” last month.
The company began in Aberfeldy over 100 years ago and has built up several commercial laundry plants across Scotland.
Fishers will now consolidate its Scottish hospitality business into its Cupar and Glasgow laundries.
Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and
North Perthshire, was “saddened” to hear that Fishers’ management were not able to find an alternative to closure for the Perth site.
He added: “The Scottish Government have already confirmed that the 84 people impacted by this decision will receive full PACE [Partnership Action for Continuing Employment] support and I am grateful for this.
“I realise that this will nevertheless be an extremely worrying time for all those families impacted by this announcement.
“And I would encourage them to seek help from PACE as soon as they possibly can.”
Ochil and South Perthshire MP John Nicolson added: “Confirmation of the Fishers closure at Inveralmond is deeply disappointing. These redundancies have come through no fault of the workers for whom this must be devastating news. My sympathies go to the workers and I hope and expect Fishers will continue to support them as much as possible to find alternative employment in what is a very difficult time.”