"WE will do whatever we can to help." That was the message from City of York Council bosses to Nestl workers under the shadow of being made redundant, following the announcement that 234 jobs are to go at the York factory.

Tony Bennett, assistant director for economic development, said contact had "already been made to offer support", aimed at helping affected staff members find alternative employment.

He said: "Nestl is a vital part of the York economy, and the council will provide whatever support it can to both the York management and staff to minimise the impact of the announcement, and to assist in developing the York-based activity of the company.

"The first consideration is for those parts of the workforce directly involved, and contact has already been made to offer support, aimed at helping those members of staff affected to find alternative employment.

"Future Prospects, funded through the council and York College, would have a key role to play having already helped organisations such as Kraft, Tenneco, ABB and Nestl in the past.

"Future Prospects has an excellent track record in placing staff faced with losing their jobs - over 80 per cent in most cases. Staff can drop in at any time to seek help and support. Hopefully, we will be able to arrange more organised support in conjunction with Nestl management and unions."

Mr Bennett said York's economy was still strong, despite the huge blow at Nestl.

He said: "The changes that have taken place over the last ten years or so have produced a stronger and more resilient economy, which is much better placed to cope with these job losses than it was before.

"The new science-based economy, based on Science City York, will provide a sound footing for the future. Even so, the continued presence and contribution from Nestl will remain a key factor."

Meanwhile, a leading York Labour councillor said he hoped Future Prospects would still be able to give sufficient support and help to redundant workers - despite council funding cuts Labour group leader Dave Merrett said: "This news will come as a bitter blow to those people whose jobs are at risk and I hope that, despite the Lib Dems' further cuts to Future Prospects' funding in the budget, those who need it can be given sufficient help and support to find alternative employment here in the city."

Lib Dem council leader Steve Galloway said there was a small reduction in Future Prospects' budget for next year, but added: "We do not anticipate it will prevent the council from continuing to after appropriate levels of support to workers affected by announcements like the Nestl one."

Andy Buckle, a manager at Future Prospects, in Swinegate, said the money from the council's economic development unit only

comprised a relatively small part of its total funding.

He said the organisation would be able to offer a range of practical assistance to people facing redundancy, including help with preparing CVs and training.

He said some people facing redundancy would be in their forties or fifties, and might not have applied for a job in decades.

ANDY McDONALD asked people in York for their views on the job losses at Nestl

Adrian Stocks, 36, a retail manager, of Clifton Moor, said: "I think it's very sad. It's just an absolute shame for the city."

Claire Gundry, 23, a retail manager, of Tanner Row said: "I feel sorry for the people who are losing their jobs. Nestl should give us all a break."

Ann Bartlett, 68, a retired Terry's worker, of Haxby Road, said: "It's bad for York. Everything's closing. It's going to be a ghost town before long."

Leon Banks, 26, of York city centre, said: "York's lost a lot of things, such as Terry's. I just hope this doesn't go the same way."

Ginevra Gordon, 44, a library assistant, of Hull Road, said: "When big corporations take over, they work for themselves and don't think about the workers."

The legacy of the Rowntree family and the 200-year tradition of confectionary-making in the city

AT its height, the York confectionery business employed as many as 14,000 workers, many years before Rowntrees became part of the worldwide Nestl empire.

Applying their Quaker beliefs to business, the Rowntrees founded the city's first adult school, initiated a pension scheme, installed gymnasiums at the Haxby Road works, and established sports and social clubs.

The family firm owes its roots to Mary Tuke, an unmarried woman from a prominent Society Of Friends family, who set up a grocery shop in Walmgate in the 1700s.

The business later specialised in tea and coffee, was selling Churchman's Patent Chocolate, from Bristol, by 1763, and began the manufacture of cocoa and chocolate from around 1785.

The Rowntree family acquired the Tukes' business, by then in Coppergate, in 1862.

In 1869, Joseph Junior joined his brother Henry Isaac at the cocoa factory, which had transferred to Tanner's Moat.

By 1881, Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles were introduced, which sent sales soaring, and employee numbers doubled in three years. The company moved to a bigger site at Haxby Road in 1903.

In 1906, the forward-thinking Rowntrees board, led by Joseph, initiated a pension scheme.

Along with gymnasiums, schoolrooms were installed at the Haxby Road works. Sports and social clubs were established, and the model village of New Earswick was built.

Favourites such as KitKat, Aero, Dairy Box and Smarties were launched in the mid-1930s.

In 1930, Rowntrees was on the brink of closure, but by 1939 it was Britain's third largest confectionery company. At one point, it employed 14,000 people.

During the Second World War, the Rowntrees cream department produced Ryvita, dried eggs and munitions, and the rest centre became a refuge for blitzed families.

The gum department was converted into a fuse factory.

The new chairman, George Harris, started applying American methods of selling by focusing on product development, branding and advertising.

In 1969, Rowntrees and John Mackintosh & Sons united to form Rowntree Mackintosh Ltd.

Takeover bids by Swiss companies, Suchard and Nestl, sparked the city's Hand's Off campaign in 1988, led by the Evening Press.

But, in June of that year, Rowntree became part of Nestl, one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world. Between 1988 and 1994, the Haxby Road workforce was slashed by 2,000.

In 1992, the £15.5 million Polo Mint plant opened with an £18 million chocolate-making plant, which could produce four tonnes of milk chocolate an hour, starting up a year later.

In 1999, Kit Kat Chunky was an instant hit.

Updated: 09:46 Saturday, March 04, 2006