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Hope Of New Jobs In Lockerbie

Wednesday January 2010, 13:19:56

A JOBS boost could be on the cards for Lockerbie -- but only if two new warehouses get the planning go-ahead.Moffat-based Tiger Cycles and Champion Stoves are looking to build the new warehouses on the outskirts of the town at the Kirkburn Industrial Estate.And if planners in Annandale and Eskdale give their plans the thumbs up around 20 new jobs could be created.The man behind the application is managing director of the company Tony Few.He said: “There are potentially about 20 jobs that could be created. We could be looking to recruit locally if people have the right skills.“We have been planning this for about 14 months and we are looking to relocate part of our business by moving the production and assembly over here.”If the application is successful Mr Few is hoping work can start on construction on the buildings within the next few months.He said: “I am hoping that in March diggers could be on site.”Once the warehouses are built they will form a major part of the business and will become the location for the finishing of both woodburning stoves and bicycles.Tiger Cycles and Champion Stoves have been based in Moffat for the last 20 years and offer a wide range of bicycles and wood burning stoves to a worldwide market.Speaking about why they decided to build in Lockerbie Mr Few said: “It is the closest place we can get to Moffat. It has been difficult to find anywhere around Dumfries and Galloway.He also played down the recession saying they have been looking at locating some of their work closer to Moffat rather than overseas.But he did say there have been times when he thought about looking elsewhere for a location for the warehouses as they felt assistance for them was not always readily available.The Kirkburn Industrial Estate is a joint partnership between Dumfries and Galloway Council and Katalyst.And Katalyst development manager Neil Macgregor said the current application could be the start of more developments in the coming months.He said: “By the end of the year we are hoping that we will be seeing a lot more activity at the Kirkburn site.”