Your Press
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email »
Smarties will cease to be made in York by end of year
11:35am Sunday 14th October 2007
Comments (19)THE end of the tube is in sight for one of York's most famous sweets.
After 70 years, the last Smarties are set to roll off production lines in the city by the end of the year.
Nestlé Rowntree is to switch manufacturing of the chocolate snacks to a factory in the German city of Hamburg as part of a shake-up of its York operation which is expected to see the company shed 645 jobs and bring in new terms and conditions for remaining workers.
Smarties will be the latest household-name brand to leave the plant, where they were first made in 1937. Black Magic was lost to the Czech Republic and Dairy Box transferred to a plant in Spain earlier this year.
Production of Drifter bars has also moved to Castleford, while Matchmakers are now being made at Fawton, near Newcastle.
But several of Nestlé Rowntree's key products will continue to be made in York following the restructuring programme, including KitKat, Aero and Polo.
"Our plans to transfer production of Smarties to Hamburg are on schedule to take place by the end of the year," a Nestlé spokesman confirmed. "This is part of the company's planned changes to the York factory, announced last September, which include a £20m investment to expand the site's state-of-the-art facilities and safeguard long-term employment for more than 1,800 employees.
"We will continue to ensure the popular Smarties brand is enjoyed by our local consumers."
Nestlé bosses have defended the impact of the changes on its York workforce, saying they were necessary to make it "competitive and fit for the future" and safeguard the city's confectionary heritage.
The company also plans to sell off 40 per cent of the site - but keep the most significant buildings - to fund the investment programme in the remaining sections of the factory.
A blueprint for the site's future was published by City of York Council in January, looking at the possible creation of a conservation area and new housing development along Haxby Road. Planning applications are expected to be submitted to the council next spring.
Your Say YourYork Press
Bemused, says...
1:19pm Sun 14 Oct 07
and safeguard the city's confectionery heritage.
Strange way to say "Kill it off."
I will now boycott smarties like I do "Terry's" chocolate oranges, as a matter of principle.
Won't do them any economic harm, but if we all did it .......
Peter, york says...
1:34pm Sun 14 Oct 07
Herman The Tosser, YO32 says...
4:43pm Sun 14 Oct 07
Peter wrote:I see what you did there...
Another product down the tube
mysteryman, York says...
5:17pm Sun 14 Oct 07
Captain Jack Sparrow, Strensall says...
6:19pm Sun 14 Oct 07
mysteryman wrote:Agreed. Does anyone not think that York is becoming like a seaside town with the seaside?
Soon the factory will be gone and the site will be sold to some greedy developer, no doubt to become another lot of "luxury" one & two bedroom (pokey and overpriced) flats, similar to those already springing up all over York. "Barratt Boxes", as a friend of mine accurately refers to them...
Lord Flashheart, York says...
7:17pm Sun 14 Oct 07
Captain Jack Sparrow wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, (And old flashy isn't often), but should you not have said "....without the seaside?"
mysteryman wrote: Soon the factory will be gone and the site will be sold to some greedy developer, no doubt to become another lot of "luxury" one & two bedroom (pokey and overpriced) flats, similar to those already springing up all over York. "Barratt Boxes", as a friend of mine accurately refers to them...Agreed. Does anyone not think that York is becoming like a seaside town with the seaside?
Regards,
Flash
Tippler, York says...
7:43pm Sun 14 Oct 07
ChrisGS1982, York says...
12:28am Mon 15 Oct 07
Herman The Tosser, YO32 says...
1:19am Mon 15 Oct 07
Tippler wrote:Yes, the people who employ the highest paid unskilled workers in the country are obviously subhuman scum.
shocking news another example of decent english labour being forced into the gutter. clearly the managers of this sick company are guilty of high treason against our british workers. give them a one way ticket to the gallows if you ask me.
Tippler, York says...
2:32am Mon 15 Oct 07
Yes, the people who employ the highest paid unskilled workers in the country are obviously subhuman scum.
yes and kicking out 645 good workers causing more chaos and suffering. its the fat cats that get money from abroad and the militant do gooders like you herman who have begun to destroy this country and for what it stands for.
Gypsum Fantastic, YORK says...
7:45am Mon 15 Oct 07
Tippler, York says...
12:25pm Mon 15 Oct 07
Herman The Tosser, YO32 says...
2:33pm Mon 15 Oct 07
Tippler wrote:lol @ calling me a do-gooder when you're the one whining about a loss of jobs that aren't your responsibility of concern.
Yes, the people who employ the highest paid unskilled workers in the country are obviously subhuman scum.
yes and kicking out 645 good workers causing more chaos and suffering. its the fat cats that get money from abroad and the militant do gooders like you herman who have begun to destroy this country and for what it stands for.
york_lad, York says...
3:43pm Mon 15 Oct 07
And I can say that we did have it very good for far too long, great wage, great shifts, extra holidays by using 'allowed' sick days.
And Tippler before you shout at me for being a foreigner or a fat cat - I worked on the Aero line packing boxes
Tippler, York says...
4:10pm Mon 15 Oct 07
True grit, York says...
10:00pm Mon 15 Oct 07
Herman The Tosser, YO32 says...
4:22am Tue 16 Oct 07
Joseph Terry and Joseph Rowntree must be turning in their grave!
They were buried together?!
Unless we're looking for tat, coffee or tourist shops, what's left for locals who don't drive?
Pubs, restaurants, art galleries and theatres to name but a few.
Ethel Teeth, Clifton says...
5:10pm Tue 16 Oct 07
Tippler wrote:I worked at Nestle in production, and it was ridiculous. I am not foreign, and do not support immigration. Nestle workers took the p1ss for too long, and are the making of their own demise.
what you have to take into account gyppy is that its more sickening lies from you to excuse your treachary and liberal do gooding. we see through your lies. hum well i wonder why you are so supportive of job cuts on english workers MAYBE you are one of the foreigners going to profit MAYBE you are one of the fat cats themselves or maybe your on benefit. you don't deserve to be in this country our grandfathers fought for.
In this section
- Police Concerned for Missing Pickering Woman
- Hundreds object to proposed location of new big wheel in York
- Transport minister to face York rail HQ meeting
- Information plea following Sherburn-in-Elmet crash
- Coroner blasts carers’ firm over death of grandfather
- ‘Most residents will have caught swine flu before Christmas’
- Drunk ‘idiot’ sparks alert over Claudia Lawrence body claim
- Experts in plea over River Ouse porpoise sightings
- York woman picks up uninvited hitch-hiker... a snake
- York Station ticket barriers plan set to be approved
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Geoff, says...
12:58pm Sun 14 Oct 07