Johnnie Walker's: Shock over Diageo plant closure

Jul 10 2009 by Stef Lach, Kilmarnock Standard

LAST week’s news that Diageo was to close the Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock shocked us all.

We knew there was a meeting scheduled at the plant for first thing on Wednesday morning, where staff would be informed of the outcome of the company’s review of its operations in Scotland.

But not for one second did we expect they would be telling 700 people they would be out of a job and that the 200-year association with Kilmarnock and Johnnie Walker would be coming to an end.

It was a severe body blow to everyone with any connections to the town at all. As our extensive coverage in this week’s paper shows, there has been little else on the lips of the people of the town ever since.

The fighting spirit of Kilmarnock – the public, politicians and shopkeepers included – will surely give Diageo’s staff a boost and hopefully inspire them to make their voices heard.

We must pull together in the coming weeks and make sure we do everything we can to have this appalling decision reversed.

Keep Johnnie Walker in Kilmarnock!