The challenging economic climate businesses have operated in over recent years means we have grown far too accustomed to news of mass job cuts in Nottingham. Recruitment drives are still under way from some companies, but this is set against a backdrop in which many firms say they are having to pare back their operations.
When announcements on proposed redundancies are made, the focus is rightly on the employees affected. But the news coming out of one of Nottingham's proudest and most historic institutions in recent weeks will undoubtedly cause ripples far away from the factory floor.
Boots, boasting a history in Nottingham stretching back to the middle of the 19th century, could end up with none of its products being manufactured in the city. Under current plans, they won't even be manufactured in England, instead being produced at factories in Wales and France.
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It was in 1849 that John Boot opened his first herbalist store on Goose Gate, with the Boots name continuing to grow in prestige around the world as the decades passed by, eventually becoming one of the most recognised brands on Britain's high streets. This rocketing growth was all achieved whilst Boots remained firmly in Nottingham, with operations centred at its sprawling and architecturally-renowned headquarters in Beeston.
The announcement of manufacturing potentially moving out of Nottingham has therefore been a shock to many. But for others, they are simply a confirmation of long-held fears.
These fears were first sparked when the manufacturing arm of Boots was acquired by the French firm Fareva in 2017. The company was asked to commit to the future of jobs in Nottingham connected to Boots manufacturing.
Although platitudes were offered by Fareva at the time, the company is now citing factors including the coronavirus pandemic in explaining why it is ending its relationship with Nottingham after just six years. In doing so, it is largely severing a relationship between Nottingham and Boots that stretches back 170 years
Along with major players such as Experian and Pendragon, Boots has been one of Nottingham's top employers and has contributed an incalculable amount to the city. It's contribution is incalculable precisely because it has not solely been a monetary contribution.
Instead, its long-standing presence in Nottingham, coupled with its national importance, has been one of the key sources of our city's pride for decades. It is for this very reason our leaders cannot let this major move pass them by without seriously assessing where this leaves the economy of Nottingham, and analysing what they can do to encourage the institutions of the future to base themselves here.
Work is underway on transforming the Broad Marsh, the Castle is open to the public again and new facilities such as the Central Library are in the pipeline. But a thriving city is nothing without big businesses to contribute both economically and emotionally.
In terms of the Boots announcement, it seems as though the decision has clearly been made and there is perhaps little that could have been done to prevent this particular move. Figures such as Sir John Peace have pointed out that this is simply an international corporation making a decision purely based on commercial logic.
But notions of commercial logic offer little comfort to Nottingham as one of its proudest boasts is shuffled ever further from the city. With several adverse economic conditions set to stick around for some time, now is the moment to have a long overdue discussion about attracting more businesses to Nottingham, and preventing any more of them from going.
