Londonderry Shirt Manufacturer Announces Job Losses

Savile Row Shirt Company has announced a total of 70 redundancies at their Castledawson plant due to loss of orders.

The Londonderry company has already entered into consultations with trade union representatives over the issue.

The redundancies will lead to a staff of 23 being maintained at the factory, employed mainly in the mail order department.

Managing Director Jeffrey Doltis said the firm regretted the announcement but the reality is that they have no choice.

Mid Ulster UUP Billy Armstrong reacting to the news said: "I'm obviously very sad to hear of this move being taken, but this is an unfortunate result of increasing international competition.

"Savile Row has been committed to the Mid Ulster area for over 40 years, from their old factory in Tobermore, and their newer plant in Castledawson. In all that time, they have been an important employer and a lynchpin of the local economy, with a good deal of family connections down through the years, which makes this decision all the more emotional."

The company will continue to make shirts at its Castledawson factory, where its mail order business is also based.

It said it planned to relocate its call centre to Castledawson and that this would create new jobs in the near future.

Mr Armstrong added: "It says a great deal for their confidence in this area that their mail order, alterations and monogramming services are all based in Castledawson. It is also positive to hear that the company plans to relocate its call centre to the local plant."

Established in 1938, the Savile Row Company have been manufacturing shirts in Northern Ireland since 1966.

(SB/SP)