A GLIMMER of hope has been given to a workforce that is trying to come to terms with the shock closure of the East Lancashire Paper Mill.

The mill, which is one of the area's biggest employers, shut on Monday (Feb 26) with the loss of 180 jobs.

But on Tuesday afternoon Radcliffe Area Board chairman Coun Barry Briggs and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis met with the mill's management team and financial advisers in an attempt to come up with a last-ditch rescue plan.

"It was a very positive meeting and we are still hopeful of a deal. Talks are still in progress and an alternative plan to closure is being worked upon," said Coun Briggs. "The management are hoping to meet with the administrators before the end of the week so there is still a glimmer of hope."

Mr Lewis added: "We will know one way or the other by the end of the week. We are doing everything we can but we are not offering any false hopes." The actual shutdown came a month after administrators Arthur Andersen were appointed to try to find a buyer.

They were unable to sell the business as a going concern although three bids were received.

Production at the 139-year-old business ceased immediately after the news was broken to stunned workers at the Church Street East mill.

Bosses blamed the closure on foreign competition, the strength of sterling and escalating raw material costs.

On finding out they no longer had a job many workers congregated in the Papermaker's Arms which is only yards away from the factory gates.

Pub manager Mr Simon Appleby said: "It was all very sombre and quite a few of them understandably wanted to drown their sorrows."

The factory workers are not the only ones who will suffer from the closure: Mr Appleby reckons takings at the pub will be down by about £400 a week.

Mr David Hargreaves, regional officer of the GMPU (Graphical Media and Paper Union), said: "We are all devastated and some of the workers are very bitter. It's so very disappointing.

"We had hoped that East Lancs could have been sold as a going concern. Apparently, three bids had been received but these were 50 per cent below the value of the assets."

In January around 40 of the original 240-strong workforce were made redundant when Andersen's were appointed.

Twenty staff members will be kept on during winding down operations at the mill.

A spokesman for Arthur Andersen said: "The administrators were unable to return the mill to profitability and had not received any acceptable offers for the business."

The spokeswoman confirmed three written offers had been received. "But all were lower than the break-up value of the assets." Representatives of Bolton Bury Chamber and the Employment Service were meeting with workers to offer help in searching for jobs and training needs.