THE merchants, citizens and council of York should be ashamed of themselves if the Terry's factory is allowed to close. As the grandson of Andre Guerri, a businessman who settled and prospered in York from the 1920s to the 50s, I feel compelled to write to urge that a buy-out is organised by a private-council partnership.

This is vital to secure the continued availability of these superior products, and the welfare of employees with a wealth of special skills peculiar to this industry.

It would be in keeping with the Terry ethos and tradition if a revamped venture undertook to manufacture and market Fairtrade chocolate products, rather than have its profits siphoned off by an international company with more than half an eye on building a bastion of profit to fend off litigation in the United States.

If there is no fight now, then it will be easier for Nestl to downgrade and abandon its focus at Rowntree/ Macintosh in the future.

This would be not only an injustice to the workforce and skilled craftsmen of the city, but a potential economic disaster for them and the other traders in the city who rely on the cycle of wealth thus brought.

Michael A Westbrook,

Beaufort Way,

Epsom, Surrey.

Updated: 11:27 Wednesday, May 05, 2004