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Caithness relocation and closure
Saturday, 27 October 2007 06:40 | 
Author: Frank Andrews |
| News - Latest |
Caithness Relocation and Closure
Caithness Glass are to vacate their premises in Perth with consequent further job losses. See news item in The Press and Journal
Kilmartin Properties and Dartington Crystal were asked to comment after this matter was raised on the Glass Messages Board. Both have responded openly...
Despite the responses from these companies nothing has changed and Caithness will close its Perth doors at the end of January! At Crieff there will ony be SIX people. Scottish glass will be devastated and Scotland will lose the associated skills in it's workforce.
My email letter to the Kilmartin Property company:
| Dear Kilmartin Property, I was horrified to learn that talks between Caithness/Dartington and Kilmartin have broken down. Why is that? Scotland is suffering an almost total loss of its glass industry and this means that many skills will disappear from the labour pool as the workers are forced to leave Scotland. Companies in your position are often seen to have a moral obligation to society which must balance with profitability. You announce on yout site that you will "Participate in public debate about sustainable development policy and targets." (n.b. Enviromental issues include unemployment which general leads to negative impacts on the environment!). Do please come and have that public debate in the Forums of Scotlands Glass! Perth has had a glass industry since, at least, the early 19th century and is a major world centre for the re-emergence of the Paperweight industry in the 20th century. In 2005 I ran and organised a Scottish Glass conference in the city of Perth - it seemed the most relevant location. Surely it is in the capability of Kilmartin to re-open the talks with an agenda to achieve an appropriate solution to the bebefit of Perth and Scottish Glassmaking. Could a contract be considered that is related to turnover of the tenant rather than to the benefit of a few private individuals? The glass community looks forward to your company response. Your Sincerely, Frank Andrews Glass historian and facilitator of Scottish Glass websites: Scotlands Glass.com <http://www.scotlandsglass.com> - Ysart Glass.com <http://www.ysartglass.com/> |
Statement from KW Properties, 29th October
|
Dear Mr. Andrews,
Thank you for your
interest in this project. The shock announcement by Dartington Crystal
intimating that they intend to close the Caithness Glass Factory and visitor
centre after almost 30 years trading in Perth is very disappointing. I am writing to
you on behalf of KW Properties, the owner and developer of the Inveralmond site,
for whom I provide development management. The decision to withdraw from negotiations was taken by the Dartington Board last Wednesday when, I understand, they decided for commercial reasons to relocate manufacture to a site in Crieff but, with a substantially reduced workforce. I understand that the premises in Crieff are considerably smaller that those in Perth and am led to believe that Dartington wish to downsize their operation in Scotland. The Caithness Glass Factory was acquired by KW properties in 2004 at the same time that Edinburgh Crystal acquired the Caithness Glass business from receivership. The premises were leased back to the company at a token rent pending the proposed redevelopment. Caithness Glass again went into administration last summer following the collapse of Edinburgh Crystal. During the administration, KW Properties paid a considerable amount to fund the ongoing operation of the factory and visitor centre whilst a buyer was found. Dartington Crystal emerged as the purchaser of Caithness Glass in September 2006. Terms to lease the existing premises were agreed at the same concessionary rent as before but with a full rental holiday until late Spring 2007. At the same time, Dartington Crystal also agreed lease terms to occupy a new factory and visitor centre to be built for them by KW Properties under which they were to receive a capital contribution of ?350,000 from KW Properties. In September 2006 and January this year Dartington Crystal made representations to Perth and Kinross Council fully in support of our planning application for and exciting tourist related development of the Inveralmond site. The local management and senior Dartington management have been fully involved in the detailed design stages for the scheme and were party to the decision to start work. KW Properties commenced work on the new facilities for Caithness Glass in May 2007 in advance of Dartington Crystal signing the legal contract. This was done in good faith at KW Properties expense in order to improve trading conditions for Caithness Glass in the shortest possible timescale. The new Factory and visitor centre is due to complete later this year. Only after work was well advanced did Dartington advise that that they wished to change the agreed terms. In an attempt to make the deal workable and to save a considerable number of skilled glassmaking, catering and retail jobs we accepted the revised terms presented by Caithness Glass. These terms were essentially turnover related. We had no reason to believe that Caithness Glass would not proceed on the basis of the terms they had presented and the news of their demise has come as a surprise to us too. We have informed Dartington Crystal that our door remains open and we remain willing to find a way forward with Caithness Glass. Yours sincerely, Neil McDougall On behalf of KW Properties Ltd. Neil McDougall MRICS Managing Director airproperty ltd. |
Dartington Crystal were then asked for their input!
|
Sent via contact form at http://www.dartington.co.uk/info/contactus.aspx Later sent as direct e-mail to John Morris, managing director of Dartington. |
|
Dear Sir/Madam, Could you please advise the collecting world of your side of the matter? |
Statement from Dartington Crystal 30the October 2007
|
Dear Mr Andrews, Our Managing Director John Morris has forwarded me your message and I have attached a statement that clarifies our position in this matter. While we are keen to address the issues raised we would hope that sufficient comment has now been provided by the parties involved. Yours sincerely Richard Halliday Marketing and Design Director On behalf of Dartington Crystal (Torrington) Ltd Torrington Devon EX38 7AN |
STATEMENT
Dear Mr Andrews, |
Postscript, by Frank Andrews.
Having the affairs of their businesses placed into a public domain creates difficulties for both parties. In this case we are dealing with a company 'Caithness Glass' that has created a stir in Scottish Glass history for innovation and design and also has developed a huge collector base. This places the company into an iconic position.
It is sad that due to economic changes that the Scottish glass industry has suffered continuing degradation for many years and today Caithness remain the largest glassworks. The impacts of this degradation being to reduce the pool of skills and this will have an impact on education as well as the chances of recovery in Scotland's glass industry. This site is about the history of that industry and we hope we do not have to add an end date.
There are still a few small commercial glass
businesses in Scotland and many fine glass artists that are involved in
a tradition that did not exist 50 years ago. It is sad to see the
larger companies suffering but change is inevitable and it is up to the
management of thiose companies to find ways to retain and continue with
their skills and the industry. In today's world so much emphasis is on
financial success that often the human and social cost is neglected -
but the Internet has given the collectors a voice and adds another
dimension to how businesses operate. But for any business to prosper it
must sell its products, many collectors buy on the second use market
and that does not help the company in the short term - it is a long
term benefit. If every paperweight or Scottish Glass collector was to buy one new Caithness weight (or Art Glass item) per year that is certain to make a
difference! Perhaps a look at how the paperweight business operates in
the US could give some ways forward, the finest Caithness weights sell
for a fraction of the price of comparable US weights... why?
With a move to Crieff something is being saved, but from my own experience, the Perthshire Paperweights Crieff visitors centre never attracted the crowds that were often to be seen at the Perth vistors centre. Perhaps, more emphasis on the collector market and less on the gift trade will be the result of such a move. Caithness Glass probably still has some of the best paperweight artists in Europe although sadly some did not survive the cuts after the takeover. Crieff is also the home to John Deacons studio and many glassworkers have and are involved with John. If Caithness do move to Crieff it will be making that town the major Scottish centre for the paperweight trade.
I would like to thank both companies in sharing the story from each side and hope that this public debate helps them to look once more for an amicable solution that prevents the move and saves jobs.
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