Textiles mill sheds 132 jobs after loss of key customer

MORE than 130 jobs have been lost at a troubled textiles mill, which went into administration earlier this month.

Borders-based JJ&HB Cashmere Mills, which operates out of Caerlee Mill in Innerleithen, near Peebles, still employs 44 people,

but leaseholds in Coatbridge and Galashiels have been closed, leading to 132 redundancies.

James Stephen, of administrators BDO LLP, said: "Due to the loss of a major customer, it is highly regrettable that we've had to take this decision.

"However, we still hope to sell the remaining business and assets as a going concern, and have already received an expression of interest in this respect."

The redundancies were revealed as the Scottish jobless total hit 202,000 – up by 61,000 over the past year.

Jeremy Purvis, Liberal Democrat MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, said: "This is devastating for all affected staff."

Administrators were appointed to the firm and its subsidiary, JJ&HB Cashmere Mills Coatbridge Ltd, on 7 January.

Meanwhile, an upmarket restaurant once popular with Old Firm footballers has gone bust. The company behind Da Luciano's in Bothwell, Lanarkshire, has gone into administration.

Family firm Morris Inns runs the restaurant and bar and Redstones hotel in nearby Uddingston, and employs 60 people across the two venues.