Letter to Gordon Brown January 2008
26th January 2008
Dear Mr Brown,
Cadbury of Somerdale, Keynsham has been told by its Directors that it is closing and moving to Poland.
A brief history of Frys/Cadburys.
- In 1755 in Bristol, a unique British company was started by the Fry family.
- In 1919 Mr J.S Fry chose a beautiful location where he could build a brand new factory to employ some 7500 people from many different walks of life and abilities.
- Keynsham, a small town between Bristol and Bath, became the new site for Frys factory.
- As Quakers the Fry family had strong positive values and ethics which J.S. Fry incorporated into the community of Keynsham.
- The land surrounding the factory was turned into playing fields and a social club was built. This formed a tight bond between the employees, their families and the local community. The bond is still as strong today.
- The sports facilities and social club are used by many thousands of people all year round.
- Bought by the Cadbury family many years ago, holding similar strong values, enabled the relationship between the factory and the local community to thrive. The company has been sold on again but still bears the Cadbury name.
The Cadbury factory at Somerdale in Keynsham is to be closed and all production sent to Poland
This is a totally unique British company where 98% of all that is produced in Britain is consumed here in Britain. It was started in Britain 253 years ago and has been in Keynsham for almost 100 years. Cadbury is a hugely profitable company. Somerdale, with no financial input or help for the past 10 years still remains the most profitable of all the sites.
Keynsham will be devastated by the move. It will rob the local economy of at least £26 million. Keynsham needs Cadburys to remain here.
This is all being driven by an American private equity group, with Nelson Peltz at the helm, hell bent on the destruction of Somerdale, with the other sites of Chirk, Marlebrook and eventually Bourneville to meet the same tragic fate.
N. Peltz admits openly to be only interested in his own financial gain. He also admits he has no respect whatsoever for the 281 year old British company's history, the community or the irreparable damage to our planet with the 7 million food miles a year that will be added.
This is diabolical in an age where we, as a nation, are so terribly aware of the most awful impact this thoughtless, none caring action will make. We are meant to be one of the leading countries when it comes to caring for the planet and expect others to sit up, take notice and follow suit. This would be a total embarrassment to the Labour government.
There is also the issue that the Polish people will not be the ones being employed in the factory. The jobs will be filled with the people from the Ukraine who will be openly exploited. This would amount to modern day slave labour.
The surrounding land of Somerdale is 80% floodplain.
With the Labour government forcing councils to build, build, build ‘X' amount of houses in short spaces of time has played straight into the greedy hands of N. Peltz and the large shareholders. He is not a developer so will gladly sell the land on which the Cadbury factory stands onto someone who is. Leaving him to rub his hands sore with glee at the thought of not only being allowed to exploit people and the planet through his/their greed but the Labour government will be condoning this with the housing situation.
A ‘New Build' would be an ideal solution. There would be decent jobs for loyal, hard working people, Great Britain would keep its unique, historical, hugely profit making industry. People from other countries wouldn't be able to be exploited and we would be very happy in the knowledge that the carbon footprint would not be made 7 million food miles a year worse through total out and out greed.
The moving to Poland makes no sense.
A ‘New Build' makes so much sense.
The Labour government used to stand tall and proud as the government for the working class man.
This country used to be proud to have such fine industries.
British jobs for British people
The government need to stand by the loyal employees of Somerdale and prevent this site from closing, but it needs to be done NOW, time is of the essence.
I am in no doubt that if this historic, unique British, hugely profit making company is allowed to leave, it will be the beginning of the end for British industry.
Great Britain will end up being one huge retail park, buying everything in and producing nothing for itself.
The employees of Somerdale WANT these jobs. They are the ones with their skills, loyalty and drive who make the huge profits and keep the Cadbury company as highly thought of as it is.
We want to be proud of having such a successful, profitable industry here in Great Britain.
The government need to put into place HUGE financial deterrents for taking away and bringing back the self same goods, to keep this company from being taken away.
There is no excuse for sitting on your hands.
Don't let the employees of Somerdale, the community of Keynsham and Great Britain down by turning a blind eye or by not giving time to put things into motion to stop this totally unnecessary move.
I hope you will read this letter with the seriousness that it has been written.
I look forward to a reply with details of positive action Cadbury at Somerdale, and this country deserves, in keeping industry here in Great Britain.
This is a unique opportunity for the Labour government, using this historically British, hugely profit making, longstanding industry to pave the way for the proud keeping of British industry.
Yours in hope and faith
