A LONG established timber firm in Skipton closes down today as a major new occupational health business prepares to relocate to the town.

Five workers at 25-year-old Aire Valley Timber on the Snaygill Industrial estate, were told that trading officially ceased on Monday.

The firm's owners, Clay's of Addingham, say they want to redevelop the land to rent out as industrial units. The workers, who finish today (Friday), say they were made aware of the situation on Monday.

Yardman Michael Knight said: "It's a bit of a shame because a couple of the guys here have been around since the firm started.

"I've been here for five years and I was a bit shocked when I heard they have decided they want to shut us down. We are honouring orders that have already been made.

"On Monday they told us that we would be getting three months notice pay. There are four full-time workers here and a part-time accountant.

"I am pretty hopeful there will be something else for me in the pipeline."

Company Director Ian Clay said: "We are going into industrial units. Nothing financial has gone wrong. We have just made a commercial decision to re-develop the site.

"It's regrettable that there has to be redundancies."

Meanwhile 20 new jobs are to be created in Skipton with the major relocation of a London-based occupational health services company called Cheviot Artus.

The firm is the amalgamation of two smaller firms (Cheviot and Artus) offering everything from stress management to looking after those who work in industrial high-risk jobs.

As chairman Dr Peter Gregory will oversee the firm from the newly-created head office in Skipton, leaving his colleague Darren Lock to run the existing London operation.

Dr Gregory, who sold his successful Skipton firm Medacs several years ago, said: "Basically we are catering for health and safety at work for companies who want to provide good health care for their workers.

"We employ consultants who are very specialised in what they do. We have contracts with councils and public bodies and hope to build on this.

"We hope to employ around 20 administrative staff at the Skipton head office and expand to provide occupational health services throughout Yorkshire."

Former GP Dr Gregory is currently negotiating for premises in Skipton and has begun recruiting staff and occupational health nurses.

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