Poultry firm Moy Park announces plans to close Wisbech operations

The poultry processing giant says the 19 people still employed at the plant in Mount Pleasant Road will be found alternative employment elsewhere within the company.

It marks the end of a process that began at least three years ago when the site employed about 350 people - many of whom had worked there for 25 years.

Then the company said it would move the operations to its site in Grantham Road, Gonerby Hill Foot, in Grantham, which was to benefit from a £20 million expansion.

But today the firm said that while it will move the Wisbech operation, which focuses on focuses on cooked whole birds, marinated chicken, snacking products and cooked sliced meats, to one of its other 13 sites a decision on which one had not yet been made.

A Moy Park spokesperson said: “Small-scale production at Wisbech will be transferring to other company facilities at the end of January.

“The small number of employees affected will all be offered alternative jobs within the company.”

Three years ago a spokesman said: “In order to further enhance our innovation and customer service, strengthen our competitive position and build upon our success in the poultry sector, we plan to consolidate our Grantham and Wisbech Convenience Foods operations to deliver a more streamlined structure for the business.

“We are commencing consultation with all the affected staff regarding these proposed changes.

“This proposal would result in major investment in our Grantham site and the repositioning of our Wisbech site as a cooked sliced meat facility.”

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