A businessman from Darwen has said he had “no choice” but to close his company’s office in the town and move staff to Bolton.

John Sturgess, director of plastics firm MG Stuma, said the recession had caused the closure of the company’s Darwen site in Marsh House Lane, with 30 workers offered jobs nine miles down the A666.

MG Stuma already had premises and 55 staff in Bolton after acquiring a business in the town in 2008.

And Mr Sturgess, a member of Darwen and Rural Neighbourhood Board, said the larger office was the only reason behind the decision to leave Darwen after 30 years.

Around fifteen of 30 staff in the town decided to make the move, with the others taking redundancy.

Mr Sturgess said: “We have got valid, economic reasons for this move and those are the only reasons.

“With the recession, we had to make some decisions and we have had to choose between our Darwen and Bolton premises. It is sad but we had no choice.

“However, our Bolton site is bigger and unfortunately we could not find a suitable home in Darwen, despite searching for one.”

Mr Sturgess said that he had offered Darwen staff perks, including money towards transport, but some had decided they “did not want to travel that far”.

He admitted that some workers were “very disappointed” that the company was quitting the town.

But he insisted it made no difference to his position on the Darwen and Rural Neighbourhood Board.

He said: “I would say it is a sad conflict because I am on that board but I still live in the town and I feel sad that we had to move away.

“If people want to give me stick they can do, but we are not that far from Darwen and I remain optimistic about the town’s future.”