11/1/2008

MSP “shocked” at Barbour closure announcement

SNP MSP Christine Grahame has said she is shocked at the announcement that knitwear company J. Barbour and Son’s Ltd are to close their factory at Tweedbank in Galashiels with the loss of around 46 workers. Ms Grahame will meet with senior managers at the firm next week to determine why the company have decided to proceed with a closure and why no attempt appears to have taken place to seek support and assistance from the Scottish Government. She said:

“Last October the firm were looking for voluntary redundancies amongst the workforce, but there was no indication that they were going to close the factory completely.

“I am going to determine what has happened in just a few short months that has led to the company into making an announcement to close the Borders factory completely. I will also be asking why there appears to have been no attempt made at seeking support from the Scottish Government before the announcement today.

“Obviously this will be shocking news for the workforce and their families and it is imperative that a proper package of support is put in place for them.

“It is not the first time manufacturing jobs have been lost from the Borders but that will not make it any easier for the workers who have received today’s (Friday) news.”

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History of the company
The Barbour story begins with John Barbour who was born in 1849 and raised on a farm in Galloway in West Scotland, the second son of a family whose links through history can be traced back to the 14th century.
At the age of 20 he left the farm to try his luck across the border in the north east of England where in 1870 he started business as a traveling draper.  A year later, he married his childhood sweetheart, Margaret Haining who bore him 11 children and gave him the encouragement and belief to start J Barbour & Sons in 1894 in 5 Market Place, South Shields. 
The shop sold all manner of products loosely described as drapery including outerwear, boiler suits, painter’s jackets through to underwear, and, in the flourishing town of South Shields the shop which became known as ‘Barbour’s,’ thrived successfully.  Almost from the first, Barbour derived an important part of its income from the ship-owners, ship builders and seamen of the port, supplying Beacon brand oilskin coats designed to protect the growing community of sailors, fishermen, river, dock and shipyard workers from the worst of the weather.
The firm's Scottish Borders factory is understood to have been operating since 1900

SNP It’s time.....