Appledore Shipyard to shut putting 200 jobs at risk

A shipyard is to shut despite its owner being offered a £60m contract by the MoD.

Staff at Appledore Shipyard in Devon have been told by owner Babcock that it will close by the end of March 2019.

The company recently lost a contract with the Armed Forces of Malta, causing financial difficulties.

Babcock has indicated many or all of the 200 workers will be offered a move to Devonport Dockyard – also owned by Babcock – 45 miles (72km) away.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson had offered to bring forward £60m of work to the Devonport yard.

However, Babcock had warned that the extra work in Devonport would not be enough to secure the future of Appledore.

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Some workers at Appledore had been temporarily redeployed to the shipyard in Devonport since the news of the lost contract came through.

A “Save Appledore Shipyard” petition has been signed by more than 9,000 people, and was handed in at the House of Commons on Tuesday.

In a letter sent to Devon MP Geoffrey Cox before the announcement of the closure was made, Mr Williamson said he had received “no assurances from Babcock that the company would keep the yard open if help were offered by the MoD”.

The future of Appledore remained “a commercial decision for the company”, he added.

The BBC has contacted Babcock, and the GMB and Unite unions for comment.