ALMOST 500 workers at a Forest poultry processing plant have been left angry and desolate after the shock news that it is to close, just weeks after it was taken over by a rival firm.

The closure of Webbs Country Foods in Lymington which was taken over by Faccenda, one of the country's leading poultry producers last month, is a devastating blow to 490 employees and will leave what the stunned chairman of Lymington Chamber of Trade Ian Patterson described as "a big hole in the local economy."

The closure will affect the whole area with employees coming to Lymington from all over the Forest. New Forest District Council's Economic Development Officer Neil Miller said that the Waterside would be particularly hard hit as 40 percent of Webbs workforce came from the area.

Faccenda say they acquired Webbs: "In order to create a larger, more efficient Group capable of operating in an increasingly competitive UK, European and world market," but workers are now suspicious of their motives.

Patricia Sherwood whose husband Brian (59) and sons Peter (40) and Paul (33) are all full time employees, said: "I don't understand why a company would buy another one just to close it down."

Claims that Faccenda have simply bought up the competition have not been denied by senior staff at Webbs. Processing Director David Keeble, who is based in the Chandler Ford office, admits that there is a degree of truth in the allegation. But company Chairman Robin Faccenda cites 'restructuring' 'limited opportunity for improvement or expansion' and 'environmental problems' as the key factors leading to the decision to shut the plant.

Mr Keeble assured the Post that workers would be given the chance to relocate to Faccenda's other factories which include works in Telford, Dudley and Brackley, but many employees are less than enthusiastic about the proposals.

One worker who has been with the company for twelve years, but who did not wish to be named told us: "Moving is not really an option for me."

He remains anxious about his future but told us that although there had been some uncertainty about the future of the company after the takeover he was stunned when all Webbs employees were called into the staff canteen on Tuesday afternoon to be told that production would cease on April 27.

"Some of the younger lads with nothing to lose just upped and walked out," he said. "Some of us have to wait for what little redundancy we have coming."

There are also fears that jobs on local farms which supply the Lymington plant may be affected but Mr Keeble said that it was intended to transport their birds to other sites within the group.

He also explained that employees will be told about redundancy packages over the next few days and asked the Post to help Faccenda in securing alternative employment for Webbs staff. "I want to put a call out to other local employers to find our workers jobs," he said. He added that Faccenda are keen to liaise with the Job Centre and other local businesses to help find Webbs operatives work.

Questions are already being asked about the future of the riverside site - some workers have heard rumours of plans to build a marina on the land.

NFDC area planning officer Bob Hull said: ""Local planning policies are designed to retain key employment sites" adding that the council had consistently refused planning permission for housing at the nearby Ampress site where the new Lymington hospital is now under construction. But he refused to rule out other possiblities for future use of the site.