9:40am Tuesday 23rd September 2008
A FACTORY which employed 500 workers will leave a lasting legacy for a visitor attraction when it closes at the end of this year.
Cooker manufacturer Electrolux, in Spennymoor, County Durham, has donated a commercial kitchen to the new visitor centre being built in Hardwick Country Park, near Sedgefield, as part of its multi-million-pound restoration.
Even though Electrolux will cease production in the UK towards the end of this year, general manager Dave Watroba was keen to keep a promise he made three years ago that he would sponsor the kitchen equipment in a new cafe at the visitor attraction.
Electrolux announced last year that it was moving production to Poland.
About half the factory’s 500 staff have already left, with the majority of the remaining 250 workers due to leave in December.
Mr Watroba said: “The irony is that I originally agreed to donate a couple of domestic appliances from our production line when the visitor centre was in the planning stages and long before the closure of the Spennymoor factory had even been discussed by the company.
“But as we got further into the project, it became apparent that we were looking at more costly cookers, fridges and deep freezers from our professional range, if they were going to be able to cope with the catering demands of the huge number of visitors the new facilities are likely to attract.
“It is sad to think the remaining 50 per cent of our workforce will have left the company, and the factory closed, before the visitor centre is up and running.
“But I am delighted that we were able to leave this as something of a legacy to the country park, which I know many of my employees and their families will enjoy visiting.”
Maria Murphy, Durham County Council’s countryside information officer, said: “We are very grateful for this extremely generous gesture by Electrolux.
“But while we are proud to celebrate our new £25,000 kitchen, it is indeed sad to think that Hardwick will be one of the last beneficiaries of the company’s generosity.”
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