Clothing jobs under threat (From Western Telegraph)

Clothing jobs under threat

JOB LOSSES could be announced this week at Dewhirst clothing factories in Cardigan and Fishguard.

Dewhirst said a further 20 jobs are to go within the division, following its announcement last week that its Swansea factory will close. The remaining four factories in Britain are in Cardigan, Fishguard, Cheshire and Newcastle.

A company spokesman said: The job losses may impact on one or both of the Cardigan and Fishguard factories.

But he said the future of the factories themselves was not under threat and their position was not under review.

The two factories employ about 550 people between them, most of whom live in North Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.

Dewhirst Ladieswear is the largest clothing supplier to Marks and Spencer, which announced a yearly profit of £646.7 million last week after four years of plummeting sales.

If the factories were to close it would devastate an area, which which has already suffered heavy job losses over the years.

RNAD Trecwn closed in the mid-1990s with the loss of hundreds of jobs and Fishguard Harbour has seen recent job losses.

News that Swanseas Dewhirst factory is to close was released in a group statement on Thursday.

It said the closure was regrettable, and a direct result of the continued consumer pressure on prices that has led to insufficient profitable business being available to maintain our UK manufacturing at current levels.

Swanseas closure follows that of Lampeters Dewhirst factory last year with the loss of 170 jobs.

A senior employee at Cardigan, who has worked for the company for 20 years, said he feared for the long term.

There are some on the books in Cardigan who have worked here for 30-plus years, he said. Whats happening is a hell of a big worry for us all. We have situations here with three or four members of the same family having worked here for years.