Mystery after 59 Keighley workers lose jobs

Administrators in Bristol were said to be aware of difficulties experienced by Fuzzwire, which supplies giant festive decorations, but last night it could not be confirmed that they had been appointed to take on the business.

Workers say they are facing a bleak Christmas after being told on Tuesday that they were out of a job and calls to Fuzzwire’s Aireworth Road premises went unanswered with the site locked and deserted.

A union leader said workers out of a job needed to be helped quickly to get payouts but warned: “They might not get anything over Christmas.”

The T&A understands that FRP Advisory LLP, which is based in Bristol but has an office in Leeds, has been appointed administrators and that representatives were at Fuzzwire yesterday.

FRP, however, could not confirm this or the nature of its involvement.

One Fuzzwire employee – who did not want to be named – said staff had been told their jobs had gone with 59 people being made redundant.

“I have been there for five years so it’s a bitter pill to swallow,” he said. “This has been badly handled. We knew it could happen if an investor wasn’t found.

“Now I’m unemployed with a young family. Everyone is very upset.”

Fuzzwire’s status on the Companies House website continued to be ‘active’ last night although a spokesman said the firm’s accounts were overdue.

“The returns were due on October 31,” she said. “But we have yet to receive them. However, this would not prompt us to chase them up at this stage.”

Keighley TUC president Steve Davison said: “It’s all very mysterious. I have been trying to get information about this. It’s all erupted very quickly.”

Mr Davison, who is also secretary of the district’s branch of Unite, said: “Effectively, they could be owed quite a bit of money.”

In June, Fuzzwire announced it was closing a factory in Prudoe in Northumberland with the loss of 45 jobs but the Keighley factory would stay open, with the creation of 20 extra jobs.