F&B Blasters co-owner Tony Le Flock. The business must be out of its Leale’s Yard premises by the end of the month and has nowhere to go. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0561229)
SMALL industrial businesses have no hope unless the States does more to find them suitable sites, according to the owner of one company on the brink of closure.
Tony Le Flock, who has co-owned F&B Blasters for the last eight years, will have to close the business at the end of the month because his temporary lease at Leale’s Yard expires and there are no other premises available.
He has had to give two staff notice and his son will also lose his job. ‘We’re just the first in line – there are going to be others. Commerce and Employment is just not interested in helping us and at the drop of a hat my business, which has been my life, will be forced to fold,’ said Mr Le Flock, 47.
‘I just feel so let down by our government – it’s unbelievable how I feel. What angers me most is that the States are trying to encourage other businesses to come over, but they can’t even look after the local ones.’
Mr Le Flock’s business, which specialises in large-scale grit blasting, is classed as a dirty industry. It has been at Leale’s Yard for two years and although it was due to leave in December, the Co-op, which owns the site, extended its stay until the end of this month.
Mr Le Flock, who said he had been unable to sleep because of the stress, has been looking for new premises since moving to the site.
When he called Commerce and Employment for advice, he was told it was not an estate agent and that it was not its job to find premises for the company.
‘They also said they had done everything they could to find new sites and just blamed it on Environment. Why can’t they sit around a table like grown-ups and sort it out instead of blaming each other like children? People are going to lose their livelihoods, for goodness’ sake.’
He said the sites that had been released for industrial use, such as Belgrave Vinery, were suitable for certain light industries only and because of a shortage of private sites, nothing but large companies could afford the rents.
A spokesman for Commerce and Employment said the department was very aware of the problem and was frustrated by Environment’s lack of headway in addressing it.
‘This type of industry is the lifeblood of the island and all other industry relies on it, but unfortunately when Environment had a change of minister, a decision was made that there was not enough evidence to suggest more sites were needed, which was extremely disappointing.’
The spokesman added that it was not the government’s responsibility to provide premises for businesses but to try to ensure that the right infrastructure was available to allow them to develop.
‘I would really like to wave a magic wand and sort something out, but there’s just nothing there. All we can do is ask any private owners who might have suitable land to come forward if they have any space available.’
The Environment Department was not in a position to comment before going to press.
Article posted on 9th April, 2008 - 2.29pm
Loading ...
Most Commented: