Holyrood support is urged over laundry

EMPLOYMENT: Plea for help by Perthshire politicians over closure plans

Perthshire politicians have written to the Scottish Government demanding support over a large Perth laundry earmarked for closure.

Fishers Laundry announced on Wednesday that it has started consulting with staff in relation to redundancies.

The company was established in Aberfeldy more than a century ago, but now operates from Inveralmond industrial estate on the edge of Perth.

Fishers is reliant on the hospitality and tourism industries, and management say they were forced into making the painful decision when they lost a sizeable contract with Whitbread, the firm which runs Premier Inn and Hub hotels.

Perth is the only confirmed closure by the company, which has its headquarters in Cupar, Fife.

Perthshire SNP politicians have written to the Scottish Government’s Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn, asking for intervention from Holyrood.

MPS Pete Wishart and John Nicolson, along with MSPS John Swinney and Roseanna Cunningham and the city centre councillor Andrew Parrot have signed the letter asking for Pace to be deployed.

Partnership Action for Continuing Employment is a national framework designed to help local public-sector agencies respond to potential and proposed redundancies as quickly and effectively as possible.

The scheme, run primarily by Skills Development Scotland, works with insolvency practitioners to provide support where a business has gone into administration or liquidation, and offers advice to people affected by redundancy.

Their letter read: “We are writing to you today in extremely unfortunate circumstances, regarding the future of the (Fisher’s Laundry) plant.

“We are concerned that the company intend to file HR1 to give advance notice of a possible 84 redundancies, which will impact workers in all of our constituencies.

“Whilst this will go through a formal consultation, we believe that it is important in the current climate for the Scottish Government to be ready to deploy Partnership Action for Continuing Employment support as soon as possible.

“We must ensure that everything possible is done to support the nearly 90 employees who may find themselves without employment in these most challenging of times.

“We have all seen the impressive work that Pace can deliver, and we are keen to see that support available to those who may lose employment with Fishers,” it adds.

The Scottish Government was asked for comment.

Picture: PA. MSP Roseanna Cunningham was among Perthshire politicians asking for Partnership Action for Continuing Employment to be deployed over the Fishers Laundry site.