Hundreds of jobs face the axe at Queen’s smoked salmon supplier

HUNDREDS of jobs are set to be axed as a seafood company which supplies smoked salmon to the Queen plans to close a major processing plant.

Young’s Seafood has announced plans to close the Pinneys of Scotland plant in Annan with the likely loss of 450 jobs before the end of the year.

Pinneys, which was founded in 1976 and has a Royal Warrant to supply smoked salmon to the Queen, specialises in top-end seafood products, including pates, terrines, cooked lobsters and crabs.

It supplies to retailers across Europe, counting Marks & Spencer as one of its major purchasers, and is the biggest private sector employer in the area.

But Grimsby-based Young’s said production at Pinneys of deli and meals is “no longer financially sustainable” so it will axe the plant and deal a devastating blow to the south-west of Scotland economy.

Production will switch to Grimsby and lead to an additional 200 roles there.

It is the latest blow to the Scottish fish processing sector which has lost more than 1,500 jobs in the past decade and comes ahead of Brexit when more fish is expected to be landed in Scotland.

Bill Showalter, chief executive officer of Young’s Seafood, said: “Today’s proposals to close our Young’s Pinneys site does not reflect on the committed and skilled teams at Young’s Pinneys – they are a credit to our company and if these proposals do go ahead we will work hard to maintain the employment of all colleagues throughout this transition.

“We have a long history of seafood production in Annan and whatever the outcome of the consultation we will continue to be a part of the community, given our other factory site in the town.”

Pinneys Smokehouses were established to produce smoked salmon for mail-order customers. Another factory was opened two years later to supply retail outlets.

A purpose-built factory opened in Annan in 1985 and produced its first ready-made meal for M&S the following year. Eventually all of Pinneys’ production processes were transferred to the site in 1997.

A major player in the Scottish seafood sector for more than three decades, the company changed hands several times.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “The news Pinneys in Annan is to close its doors is a tragedy. Pinneys have been an important part of the Dumfries and Galloway community for many years, and the closure will be a great loss in an area with few large employers. My thoughts are with the company’s workers, and their families.

“The UK Government stands ready to do all it can to help those affected.”

Local Labour MSP Colin Smyth added: “This is devastating news for the Pinneys workforce and their families and my thoughts are with them. There are whole families employed at Pinneys which has served the town as a major employer for decades. A closure of this scale in such a small community will send shockwaves right across the whole, already fragile, local economy. It is also a massive blow to the Scottish food and drinks industry to lose such a long standing processor in Scotland.

“The fact that the company plan to recruit 200 jobs in England while axing hundreds of jobs in Annan shows a real lack of loyalty to a workforce who have served the company for many years”.

The company said: “If these proposals go ahead, employees at Young’s Pinneys will be provided with information regarding these new roles and will be given preference over new recruitment.

“Young’s will now commence a formal consultation with staff and their representatives at its Pinneys site as soon as practicable, following the election of employee representatives to discuss options.”

Today’s proposals to close our Young’s Pinneys site does not reflect on the committed and skilled teams