CADBURY is shutting down its Tasmanian visitor centre, with 11 jobs to be axed. The Claremont centre will close on December 18, Cadbury staff were told this morning. It is the latest in a string of bitter blows for the iconic chocolatier. In March, Cadbury canned plans for a multimillion-dollar Tasmanian visitor centre after abandoning an application for a $16 million Commonwealth grant. At the time, Amanda Banfield from parent-company Mondelez Australia and New Zealand said said plans to create 300 new jobs would not be delivered, but Cadbury's 600 existing Tasmanian staff would not be affected. Just two months later, Cadbury sacked 80 Tasmanian workers in a shake-up of its production methods, with factory workers hardest hit. A Mondelez spokesman said this morning that the company was no longer able to invest in the ongoing operation of the visitor centre, and was focusing instead on manufacturing. He said all possible options were explored to keep the centre open, including proposals from private investors. ''Unfortunately none of the proposals presented a suitable solution which would allow the Claremont visitor centre to continue, and as a result today we informed the 11 visitor centre staff that the centre will close by 18 December 2015,'' he said. ''While we regret having to close the centre and the impact on staff, we’re committed to improving the Claremont site to put it on a sustainable footing for the future.'' Denison independent MHR Andrew Wilkie said latest the job losses were another big blow for the community. ''Whole families will be affected, including children, and I would have thought Cadbury could have shown greater loyalty to the staff that have been loyal to it,'' he said. The state government has been contacted for comment.
CADBURY is shutting down its Tasmanian visitor centre, with 11 jobs to be axed.
The Claremont centre will close on December 18, Cadbury staff were told this morning.
It is the latest in a string of bitter blows for the iconic chocolatier.
In March, Cadbury canned plans for a multimillion-dollar Tasmanian visitor centre after abandoning an application for a $16 million Commonwealth grant.
At the time, Amanda Banfield from parent-company Mondelez Australia and New Zealand said said plans to create 300 new jobs would not be delivered, but Cadbury's 600 existing Tasmanian staff would not be affected.
Just two months later, Cadbury sacked 80 Tasmanian workers in a shake-up of its production methods, with factory workers hardest hit.
A Mondelez spokesman said this morning that the company was no longer able to invest in the ongoing operation of the visitor centre, and was focusing instead on manufacturing.
He said all possible options were explored to keep the centre open, including proposals from private investors.
''Unfortunately none of the proposals presented a suitable solution which would allow the Claremont visitor centre to continue, and as a result today we informed the 11 visitor centre staff that the centre will close by 18 December 2015,'' he said.
''While we regret having to close the centre and the impact on staff, we’re committed to improving the Claremont site to put it on a sustainable footing for the future.''
Denison independent MHR Andrew Wilkie said latest the job losses were another big blow for the community.
''Whole families will be affected, including children, and I would have thought Cadbury could have shown greater loyalty to the staff that have been loyal to it,'' he said.
The state government has been contacted for comment.
