Firm interested in chimney factory

Receivers had planned to sell off the factory's assets

Emergency talks are to be held to try to save 180 jobs in north Devon.

It is hoped a buyer can be found for the Selkirk Manufacturing Limited factory in Barnstaple, which announced the redundancies.

The company, which makes chimneys and flues, had been in receivership for several weeks.

Now an unnamed firm in the same sector, which looked at the factory with a view to buying stock and equipment, has put forward an offer to buy the company and run it as a going concern.

Alternative action

The factory, on the Pottington Industrial Estate in Barnstaple, went into administration two months ago.

Receivers Deloitte and Touche announced on Monday that the plant would close and its assets would be sold off.

But representatives from the North Devon Chamber of Commerce, North Devon District Council and the Devon and Cornwall Business Council are to meet with the receivers with the offer on Wednesday.

North Devon District Council said of Deloitte and Touche's original decision.

"We are very disappointed at the decision of the liquidators.

"We will be meeting with our partners [the Chamber of Commerce and Devon and Cornwall Business Council] to explore alternative courses of action."

Jeremy Filmer-Bennet of the North Devon Chamber of Commerce said of the new potential purchasers: "It's someone in the same industry. It's worth saying that and they want to run it as a going concern.

"They did come down to look at just stripping it out and taking the machinery away. But, having seen the quality of the staff and the place, they want to run it."

Deloitte and Touche said that, so far, they had not received any offer that would ensure the continuation of the business.