Site of closed factory for sale

The Abbotts Group Ltd site at Golden Cross is being offered at 6.25million freehold.

Tingley Commercial put up advertising boards listing the six-and-a-half acre site for sale on Friday.

Roland Gardner, from the commercial property firm, expected a 'quick deal'.

He said: 'An opportunity to acquire a six-and-a-half acre site doesn't come up very often.

'The site is a little remote, which is the downside, but there is a lack of commercial opportunities of this scale.

'We have a variety of local industrialists looking at the site.

'I think we are going to do a quick deal.'

Some employees worked at the Abbotts factory for 30 years before it went into receivership on March 29.

It is thought the Government is giving compensation for lost wages, and holiday and sick pay.

The Golden Cross site is currently owned by developer Helical Bar PLC.

Mike Brown, deputy CEO, said: 'We're obviously sad that Abbotts went into receivership but we're advised by Tingley Commercial that there's a good chance of attracting a new business to this site.

'We would be happy to let the property and retain the investment.

'But we're advised that most businesses looking at this kind of facility are more likely to wish to purchase outright, hence our approach.'

Parent companies Plasmo Profiles and Plasmo Ltd were also wiped out with Abbotts.

Another company, Sprint 1234 Ltd trading as Watson Dallas and the Abbott Group, bought the Abbotts factory.

But problems continued when Sprint also went into administration.

A buy-out attempt by former managers at the Golden Cross factory also failed.

The business was seen as too risky for investment.