Report - Shires Bathroom Factory, Bradford, Nov '10

[KooK]

Explored with Squirrell 911.

A fun explore, definitely worth another visit. The site is pretty huge, we managed to see most areas but there were some workmen in one area chucking some stuff in a skip, we managed to sneak past them to get into the delivery area.

Shires was located in an old TV factory in Bradford, it moved here from Guiseley in 1990.

Shires Bathrooms (Bradford), at Lidget Green, is owned by Irish firm Qualceram and employed 73 people.

Shires are producers of perhaps one of the most comprehensive ranges of bathroom products in the business. In addition to a fine range of bathroom suites there are shower products, brassware kitchen sinks, baths, accessories and sanitary ware.

Shires, a byword for design excellence and craftmanship, has been producing bathrooms to the highest quality since 1946. We continue to innovate and lead our market delivering unrivalled quality and value for money and this is a tradition we are proud to continue. The Shires range is extensive, offering a wide range of bathrooms that will allow you to create the luxury bathroom of your choice. From the dramatic contemporary design of the Parisi suite to the classic traditional look of the Waverley range, all styles and budgets are catered for in our new bathroom book.

This all sounds good, but in the six months to June 30 2009 the company saw turnover fall from £39 million to £28 million. It had an operating loss of £630,000 with debts of £3.9 million. They changed the working hours resulting in 4 staff striking claiming their wages were effectively being cut by £1500.

In April 2009 they called in the administrators, laid off 60 workers and eventually closed the factory.

Thanks for looking