I READ with a good deal of sadness of the closure of the East Lancashire Paper Mill.

I have happy memories of the years I was employed by the company (1966-1979) when it was very successful, employing more than 1,000 people.

Unfortunately, during this time, consultants were brought in who knew nothing about the paper trade yet whose opinions were not only listened to but acted upon by the then senior management. The result was that a many shopfloor workers and management left because the consultants thought that the only way to make more profit was to reduce the wage bill. The fact that these employees had years of irreplaceable experience cut no ice with these "advisors".

Since leaving East Lancs I have followed its fortunes with interest and have come to a similar conclusion to Mr Owens (Your Letters, June 26) that subsequent managements made the mistake of trying to run with the 'big boys" instead of diversifying. There would have been no shame in changing from being a "white mill" to a " brown mill", if that is where the orders were coming from.

All in all, the whole sorry episode has been a tragedy to the town of Radcliffe.

PETER M. HEARD,

Low Bank,

Embsay, Skipton.