Meat plant to close after fire

13 April 2000



Meat plant to close after fire

By FWi staff

A NORFOLK meat processing plant is to close after 70 years following a fire which partially gutted the factory in January blaze.

The RS Baker & Sons factory at Elsing, near Dereham, takes pigs from more than 50 local farmers. About 70 jobs will be lost.

Company chairman Richard Baker said damage to the plant was initially estimated at 3-4 million. But rebuilding would now cost about 8m.

Mr Baker said: “We are devastated because we have been a profitable business making 300,000-500,000.”

He claimed that the decision was influenced by the “unhelpful” attitude of the Meat Hygiene Service and the Environment Agency.