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YOUNG'S Seafood has announced that it will probably keep crab processing in the North Norfolk town of Cromer after all.
The company, part of the Findus Group, which had planned to move jobs to Grimsby and Scotland, said it is looking at ways to keep the factory in operation.
Young's Chief Operating Officer Peter Ward said yesterday: "We welcome the interest in Cromer crab as it highlights how much of a high quality, iconic shellfish it is and its importance to the local community. The consultation is under way and we are continuing to explore all options and alternatives raised.
"Working closely with a number of stakeholders, we are now looking at ways to keep Cromer crab branded items in Cromer and we will not move these lines to either Grimsby or Scotland."
But it is not yet clear if all the 230 people employed at the site will keep their jobs. The factory also processes prawns and other forms of seafood and only a relatively small number of people are working on crab processing.
It is now more than a month since Young's announced that it was carrying out a review of the Cromer Crab Company site which it acquired about three and a half years ago. The news brought protests from celebrities such as Stephen Fry and Delia Smith who said crab processing must be kept in a town which is famous for the quality of its shellfish. Many local fishermen supply the factory.
The local paper, the North Norfolk News, mounted a successful "Claws Off" campaign which was backed by thousands of local people.
The company said it would continue to consult over what would happen to the majority of jobs at the factory.
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