'˜Ballymena bleeding jobs' says SDLP man

Connor Duncan said: “The brutal reality facing Frankie and Benny’s staff today is that they have just a job in a town where opportunities for employment have become increasingly scarce. They are not confident that they will be able to find new jobs anytime soon. It is a devastating blow for those with families, mortgages and other financial pressures.

“While this closure is the result of a substantial financial loss for the company last year across the UK, those employees still reeling from this news have expressed anger that after unprecedented job losses over the past year, nothing has been done to boost job creation in Ballymena. It is their view that Executive parties have spent their first 100 days in power setting up their offices while ignoring this worsening crisis.

“Since the election, the SDLP have continuously called on the Executive to implement a manufacturing strategy to begin to create opportunities here and across the North. Words are cheap and it is time action was taken to end the bleed of jobs from Ballymena.”