WORKERS at Campbeltown’s famous Springbank Distillery will find out what the future holds for them today (Friday) after being told that the business is looking for voluntary redundancies in its production department.
The Courier has been told by workers at Springbank that a minimum of seven employees at the distillery are to be paid off. The option of voluntary redundancy has been made by letter to staff and those willing to accept were invited to apply by Monday of this week.
The Courier understands that Springbank is looking to stop production for two years; a situation that has happened before in the distillery’s history. Springbank, owned by J and A Mitchell and Co Ltd, is unique in that it carries out its own malting on site, on traditional malting floors and is proud of its independence and traditional production methods. Its malts have a worldwide following among dedicated whisky enthusiasts; last year a couple were even married at the distillery on Longrow.
A spokesman for the company said it would be making a statement today (Friday) but declined to comment further. None of the workforce involved in the proposed redundancies wanted to speak to The Courier on the record.
In this year’s budget chancellor Alistair Darling raised the duty on a bottle of spirits by 55p and announced that duties on alcohol will be increased by two per cent above inflation in each of the next four years, a move strongly opposed by Argyll and Bute MP Alan Reid and all other Members of Parliament in constituencies which are home to distilleries.
Mr Reid told The Courier on Wednesday: ‘The loss of any jobs is a severe blow to Campbeltown.
‘I warned business secretary John Hutton during the Budget debate in the House of Commons that the Government’s announcement of steep rises in the duty on whisky this year and for many years to come would deter investment. I am afraid that Campbeltown workers are now suffering the consequences of these increases in duty.
‘Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Jobcentre must do all that they can to find alternative jobs for the workers who are being made redundant.’
