Failed abattoir owed nearly £2m

The present abattoir opened in January 2007

An abattoir in Gwynedd which went into administration owed at least £1.9m to creditors, initial indications show.

Farmers' unions said some of their members are owed thousands of pounds by Cig Cibyn in Caernarfon, with one farmer claiming to be due £12,000.

The administrators, CLB Coopers, said they had spoken "a number of interested parties" about selling the business.

The company went into administration on Tuesday, three weeks after making 51 workers redundant.

The abattoir's administrators said they were now holding discussions with the assembly government and Gwynedd council to identify if any assistance may be available for possible buyers.

The assembly government was criticised for not offering financial help, but it said rules did not permit it to intervene in every circumstance.

Foot-and-mouth

The company mothballed its operations on 22 October as a result of a downturn in the economy.

It had wanted the assembly government to provide a short term loan to help with cash flow problems

Cig Cibyn has been plagued by problems since it opened in January 2007.

It had to close for a month in August 2007 because of a foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey.

It reopened in September but was forced to close for another month when all exports to Europe were banned.