In a devastating blow for the town’s knitwear industry, 11 jobs look likely to go at William Lockie’s Drumlanrig Square factory.
The news comes just weeks after The Hawick Paper reported potential job losses at Lyle & Scott, about which the firm remains tight-lipped.
William Lockie’s managing director David Nuttall explained: “While William Lockie has strong long-term prospects to meet the present impact of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, we are restructuring the business.
“Although we have not quite completed the consultation process, 11 jobs are at risk which includes the four voluntary redundancies which we have accepted.
“This reflects the new realities we are facing,” he added.
“Lockie’s play an important part of the fabric of the town and the employees have incredible skills. Therefore, this is not a decision we have taken lightly, but out of necessity to protect the long-term health of the business and remaining 110 workers.
“It has been a very unsettling time for the workforce and we expect to conclude the process as quickly and fairly as possible,” he concluded.
Last week we reported how Lyle & Scott’s last remaining link to Hawick appears to be on the brink of being severed.
It is understood that warehouse staff at the Liddesdale Road factory are in redundancy talks. It is unclear how many jobs will be lost, but we believe only two employees will be kept in post for office-related duties.
It is also not certain if the firm will retain its Hawick base in the long term.
We approached the company to try to confirm potential redundancies and its long-term future, but received no response from its media department.
Founded with an £800 loan in 1874 by William Lyle and Walter Scott, the company has grown from a small knitwear factory in Hawick into a worldwide fashion brand.
Provost Watson McAteer said: “The news that the old-established William Lockie’s and Son are to shed jobs is devastating news.
“I know this will not have been an easy decision for a company firmly rooted in all things Hawick and I hope they are able to recover their fine business once Covid is in the past and the Brexit challenges have been tackled.
“This latest announcement follows hotly on the rumours concerning Lyle & Scott and I know there is some discontent that the company is so far unable to confirm the future for the local employees.
“These are really difficult times and I have alerted Scottish Borders Council to ensure they are ready to help when businesses find themselves making such difficult choices.”
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