A SCOTTISH abattoir has shut its doors after more than 100 years, with up to 90 jobs lost.
The Scotbeef site in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, closed its doors on Wednesday, with the company saying the decision was necessary to protect the long-term future of the business.
According to the Scottish Farmer, staff were told to go home on Wednesday, while farmers with livestock booked in were informed that their animals were no longer required.
A redundancy process is now under way with staff, as Scotbeef said it would ensure all affected employees were supported. According to the BBC, up to 90 jobs have been lost.
The family-owned businesses was founded in 1920 and supplies beef and lamb to UK retailers. It is a subsidiary of East Kilbride-based JW Galloway.
Scotbeef has two other Scottish sites – in East Kilbride and Annan – as well as three sites south of the Border, in Sheffield, Heysham and Wolverhampton.
A spokesperson for Scotbeef Inverurie said: "Despite our best efforts to address the sustained challenges within the UK meat and beef industry over the past 18 months, we have unfortunately taken the difficult decision to close our Inverurie site.
"Decisions such as these are never easy, and we understand that there will be a significant impact on our staff, many of whom have shown loyalty and commitment to the business over many years.
“We are actively working with other businesses in the meat industry to identify alternative employment opportunities, as well as offering roles at other Scotbeef sites for those who may wish to relocate.”
