Brexit impact job losses as the last remaining dairy plant in East Anglia to close

Brexit continues to cause damage to the economy

Every day that passes since the 2016 Referendum, the UK is hit by its consequential impact, locally, nationally and internationally. Brexiteers can continue to claim that the decision to Leave has had nil impact on the country's economy and jobs but the evidence is clear, the UK is no longer the welcoming, open nation and individuals are taking action to protect their lives, their businesses and investments and the future of their families. This reckless Brexit government are hellbent on dragging us out into the cold just as the impact of Johnson's fellow traveller Trump's trade war begins to bite and recessions loom. There is only one way to stop the damaging uncertainty and that is to STOP BREXIT and Revoke Article 50. We are still only at stage one in what will continue to be an endless war of words and bitter negotiations for years to come. For everyone's sake. Liberal Democrats are saying - end this mess now and REMAIN in the EU with the best Deal we have ever had.

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Suffolk dairy plant to close as Brexit continues to cause damage to the economy

Based on a report in the EDP (Eastern Daily Press) 3 October 2019 by Sarah Chambers

According to a recent report in the EDP, the departure of Marybelle Pur Natur - based in north Suffolk means that the last remaining larger dairy operation in East Anglia is earmarked for closure, with the loss of 19 jobs. Closure will hit its small band of three dairy farmer suppliers who must now look for other markets for their milk.

Uncertainty over Brexit - and a downturn in demand for locally-produced milk and yogurts - are being blamed for the downfall of the Belgian-owned Marybelle operation at Walpole, near Halesworth.

Marybelle Dairy, which was previously owned by the Strachan family at Rendham Hall, near Framlingham, was snapped up in 2014 by another larger Belgian-owned operation, becoming a subsidiary of Pur Natur Invest.

The main factors in the decision were a downturn in the interest in local products - in milks and yogurts - that they have experienced over the last 12 months, and also the major uncertainty around Brexit, because a lot of the food packaging comes from Germany, and there's a lot of uncertainty around what will happen explained the company to the EDP. Although the bottles for the milk are made in the UK, the yogurt and cream packaging and the fruit preparations are imported from continental Europe, causing uncertainty over how the imports would be affected. The timing all coincides with no one knowing what's happening - that was a major part of the decision,

According to the EDP report, dairy production in East Anglia has been on a steep decline in recent years, Other than two very small on-farm dairy operations in Norfolk, Marybelle Pur Natur is the last larger processor in the region. Dairy farmers Jason and Katharine Salisbury, of Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses farm at Coddenham, near Ipswich, are among the affected suppliers.

Source: EDP (Eastern Daily Press) by Sarah Chambers

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