Job hopes for the New Year (From Western Telegraph)

Job hopes for the New Year

The New Year could bring better jobs news for the Cardigan and North Pembrokeshire area.

Confirmation that the old Dewhirst factory in Cardigan is to be bought by a local firm has been described as 'good news' by the town's mayor.

Seconds Ahead, a Cilgerran-based clothing company, is expanding its operation with the purchase of the factory, which closed down in November. The firm plan to take on 30 new staff in the future.

The deal is expected to be finalised in the New Year, when Seconds Ahead, which has 32 stores across the country, will transfer 30 current staff members into the old Dewhirst factory.

The company plans to use half of the 50,000-square-feet building, and convert the remaining area into warehouse and office units, which will be available to rent by other small and medium-size businesses in the spring.

Linda Grace, mayor of Cardigan, said: "It's good news coming just before Christmas and I am pleased that someone local is in a position to buy the factory."

Andrew Davies, director of Seconds Ahead, said: "This is an expansion of our current operation and we will not be closing our current site in Cilgerran.

"We are hoping to create a business park on the site as there is strong local demand for medium-sized units," he added. Meanwhile, a proposal has been put forward to develop a Centre for Rural Enterprise and Sustainability (CRES) at the former armaments depot at Trecwn.

This would be a welcome and interesting use of the site, which has in the past been put put forward for the storage of intermediate nuclear waste. Urban Mines, a Huddersfield-based environmental organisation, plans to carry out a feasibility study into creating a specialised recycling centre at the site and integrating the various county initiatives already in place. Trecwn would also be used to demonstrate sustainable design and building techniques, and focus on education programmes and campaigning for legislative change.

The company also plans to examine recycling opportunities related to the farming industry.

It is hoped the opening of the centre could address the problem of retaining and attracting premium jobs to the area, by rooting the development within the community. This would make a future transfer away from the region less likely.