Editor’s blog: Bad week for Redruth

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It hasn’t been a very good month so far for manufacturing in Redruth, and two famous names in particular.

While there are signs that the economy is recovering, and that it should be back in growth in 2010, the slowdown is still taking its toll on the jobs market.

Towards the end of last week we revealed that restructuring of the Stralfors UK business was resulting in the loss of 32 posts, while on Wednesday we reported that Clearwood UK’s parent company was closing the Redruth factory down to centralise production in Essex, with the loss of another 20 jobs.

Nationally, much of the news this week, of course, has been dominated by the Chancellor’s Pre Budget Report, and how we are all going to pay for the financial mess. Was the PBR too tough, or not tough enough? One thing for sure however, to quote the words of Cornwall Council chief exec Kevin Lavery in a recent interview with Business Cornwall, the public sector is facing “the mother of all cutbacks”.

According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies think tank, the UK faces £36 billion of cuts in 2011, with £11 billion yet to be identified by the Chancellor. There’s a good chance, however, that it might not be Mr Darling’s problem by then.

Finally ending on a more cheery note, good to see Cornish Sardines have been given Protected Food Name status by the European Community, joining the likes of Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies. It means that if you see “Cornish sardines” on the menu, or in the market or wherever, you can be sure that they have been caught, landed and processed in the Duchy.

Food, farming and environment minister Jim Fitzpatrick said the status was a “great thing for producers and consumers”. And speaking on Radio 2 last night, he spoke of his confidence that the Cornish Pasty will soon be granted similar status by the EU. A move I am particularly keen to see.

All of which makes me rather hungry…!