A CLOTHING firm that counts the Royal family amongst its customers is to close its Nelson factory by the end of the year with the loss of around 30 jobs.

Production at garment manufacturer Grenfell will be transferred to a plant in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and the Nelson staff will be made redundant.

Grenfell is part of a Japanese group Toyoboshy which already has a cashmere knitwear plant in Lanarkshire. The two sister companies will share facilities after the move.

Mr Kuniyasu Shimizu, a director of Toyoboshy UK, said the transfer of production to Scotland was part of a restructuring of the group. He said high labour costs and the strong pound had caused the group to go ahead with the move.

Mr Shimizu said talks were going ahead with staff over the possibility of some of the workforce relocating to Scotland.

He said the Grenfell name will continue.

Grenfell, which makes raincoats and overcoats, counts the Queen Mother, the Queen and the Princess Royal amongst its customers.

In April 1997 Princess Anne visited the firm at its previous site in Rylands Street, Burnley. Last year the company moved to Waterford Street, Nelson.

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