§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in his efforts to ensure that manufacturing continues at the Bangor factory of Gainsborough Ltd.
§ Mr. OrmeUnfortunately, there is no prospect of the Gainsborough Fabrics operation continuing at the Bangor factory. After lengthy discussions with representatives of the Carrington Viyella Group, including the chairman, in which all possible alternatives were considered. I concluded that there was no realistic alternative to closure. The decision to close was forced on the company by a serious decline in the demand for knitted nylon fabric.
The Northern Ireland Department of Commerce is attempting to interest other employers throughout the world in the facilities at Bangor. Carrington Viyella has stated that it will sell or lease the factory to any interested party and will co-operate fully with the Department in any negotiations.