Talks begin in bid to save salmon factory jobs

Bosses at Lighthouse Caledonia, the islands’ biggest private employer, fear they will have to close its large factory at Marybank, Stornoway in three months as it is too old, inefficient and unsuited to modern techniques. Managing director OddGeir Oddsen told employees: “Unless realistic processing alternatives can be found, the closure of the Marybank plant may occur in January 2009.”The smokehouse is closed on Friday with staff transferred onto fresh fish processing,. However, the firm says it has considered building a modern facility on a shore-side site at the Arnish Industrial Estate across the bay from Stornoway, the newspaper reported.Spokesman Russell Ferguson told the newspaper that “Arnish is an attractive option” and the firm would seek to “talk to the right people”.