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Community featuresYou are in: Birmingham > Your Community > Community features > Clare Short calls for HP boycott  Clare Short Clare Short calls for HP boycottLadywood MP Clare Short has asked people to boycott HP products in response to the decision to close the Aston HP Foods Factory. Listen to the interview, hear from residents and have your say. Listen to Clare Short speaking on BBC WM's Breakfast Show. Audio and Video links on this page require Realplayer Call to boycott HP productsClare Short MP has asked Birmingham residents to boycott all HP products, following the news that the famous Aston HP Foods Factory is to close. Heinz announced that the site is no longer financially viable and that production of the HP Sauce brand will be moved to Holland, in a decision that will result in 125 job losses.  HP Sauces Speaking on BBC WM's Breakfast Show with Daz Hale, the former cabinet minister said: "It seems like another week, another closure. The really worrying thing is that it's the good jobs that are going... all we're left with is lower paid, insecure work. "The factory has been there for heaven knows how long. It has pictures of the House of Commons on it. And suddenly they're saying they're removing it from our country." Clare Short went on to ask Birmingham locals to boycott all HP products, in the hope that the rest of the country would follow suit. "That's what they deserve," she said. "It would give them a real fright. If we can make them reconsider that would be brilliant."  Brian Young Locals speak outFollowing the news of the closure, we spoke to local community members to get their reactions to the plans. Brian Young, who worked at the site over 30 years ago, is shocked by the announcement. "It's all change," he said. "They have ripped the heart out of Brummagem. So much history is wrapped up in that place. It meant a lot to all of us round hear. When people thought of Aston they thought of the HP Plant. "I'm a Brummie born and bred. My dad used to tell stories of going to work on the bus and opening his sandwiches just to smell the sauce!"  Terry Barritt Pauline Flower also recalls how her children used to love the distinct Heinz sauce smell. "The kids were raised on HP sauce!" she says. "My youngest went through a phase of sausage, chips and tomato sauce. And it had to be Heinz! It's such a shame that it's all going abroad. It'll never taste the same again." Other residents though are more angry about what appears to be another blow for local industry.  Kim McIlhone Terry Barritt, a former metal polisher from Aston, has lived in Brum all of his life. "I feel the grief," he says. "I blame the government entirely. This is another blow for British and Birmingham industry. After everything we've all been through with Rover, they do this. "HP stands for Houses of Parliament. But they'll keep that name won't they? HP is part of our legacy around here. Now our history is going abroad." Local small-businesses are worried too; a sandwich shop and newsagents are opposite the site and many of the workforce are regular customers. But Kim McIlhone, manager of local pub O'Reilly's, has had a long standing relationship with the factory.  Trevor Weir "This is the local for a lot of the workforce. Over the years many of them have become friends. We're a hotel too and often visitors to the site would always stay here. We've had some great times but that is all about to change." Some people though aren't as upset as others. Trevor Weir will be sad to see the plant go but deems it inevitable. "It's sad of course," he said. "I'm shocked as well. But they've been scaling down the site for a while now. I think most people could see this coming, if they were really honest. It's just so much easier - and cheaper - to manufacture abroad now."  Nad Ghaffar Taxi driver Nad Ghaffar agrees, but feels sorry for the families of the workers affected. "Everything's going abroad now," he says. "The decision has be made now so that's that. Times change. But I just feel sorry for the workers' families; it will affect a lot of people, especially if they find it hard to get another job." last updated: 11/07/07 Have Your SayDo you think that we should all boycott HP products? Paul tony diane wheeler Roger Clark David Robinson Graham Jamie. Edith hornbridge Mrs P Gardner Richard Paul John Alston Kim Fennell of Rugby P1NSEEKER Stephen Wallin Darren Jonathan Parkes gordon h baker Brendan - widnes HP Fan - Manchester stephen wicketts T.Newman David Harris Denise Bucknall Caroline Arnold alan howe S. Hussain - Birmingham Isabel Caplin Patricia ,TORONTO an HP brummie Wayne R-force1 Paul Smith Stuart Russell Leonard Emery CHAVDA gursh chana Kuldip Sharma Jen Patrick Culleton Bill Gleeson james mensar KEITH JENNEY SEE ALSOYou are in: Birmingham > Your Community > Community features > Clare Short calls for HP boycott |
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