Production has officially ceased at the historic Glasgow McVitie's factory.
The plant in Tollcross first opened in 1925 as part of the Macfarlane and Lang’s Victoria Biscuit Works and has provided vital employment for the east end of the city in the years since.
Owners Pladis issued redundancy notices to 450 workers in June 2021 with attempts to save the jobs drawn up by an action group involving the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council. The company decided to proceed with the closure after ruling that the alternative proposal was not "viable".
The company, a subsidiary of Turkish conglomerate Yildiz Holding, said the closure would “address excess capacity” across UK sites and protect the long-term sustainability of the building.
READ MORE: Glasgow Life to re-open 18 community venues as 'welcoming places'
The action group had called on Pladis to follow through with potential plans to leave a 'lasting legacy' on the site. Council leader Susan Aitken said the local authority was "committed" to developing a legacy "that provides infrastructure that attracts a new age of manufacturing to the East End of the city and provides jobs for the future."
Unite had tabled the idea of the site being repurposed to enable the workers and wider community the opportunity to have a 'future they could rely on'.
Paul Sweeney MSP, who was involved in the campaign to save the factory and protect jobs, said: “The closure of the McVitie’s factory in Tollcross was an act of callous industrial vandalism that could and should have been avoided.
“It was an act that simultaneously trashed the reputation of a brand once synonymous with Scotland and forced hundreds of workers in one of Glasgow’s poorest communities into unemployment. Despite a valiant campaign by trade unions and stakeholders to save the plant, the owners Pladis refused to engage meaningfully and that is something we should never forget."
A Pladis spokesperson: “This week we are ceasing production operations at our Tollcross factory.
“We understand this has been a challenging time for all our colleagues at the factory over the last 15 months and we want to thank everyone for their professionalism, continued hard work and loyalty throughout.”
READ NEXT:
Glasgow's Kelvin Hall welcomes new 'purpose-built' BBC television studio
Glasgow grandad's suicide inspires fundraiser as family still struggle with their loss
New Glasgow prison for women with 'no bars or fences' due to open next month
Glasgow council to sell museums and city chambers to fund equal pay deal
ScotRail issues travel warning to Celtic and Motherwell fans ahead of major strikes
