Almost a quarter of staff members working for a large meat factory in town could face redundancy.

A total of 90 workers at the Pilgrim’s factory on Friesian Way on the Hardwick Industrial Estate are at risk of losing their jobs due to a “reduced base volume demand” at the site.

Staff members, including some who have been working at the site for decades, expect to be made redundant in the spring.

Pilgrim’s supplies ham, pork and chicken to supermarkets, and currently employs 441 people.

However, the demand for sliced meats has gone down recently, according to one of its factory workers.

The factory confirmed that a formal process is set to start soon to review staffing numbers.

A spokesperson for Pilgrim’s said: “We understand this is a difficult time for all employees, and full support is being provided.

“The team is working hard to secure new business, and the proposals are subject to full consultation with employees, People’s Forum and union reps to explore all potential alternatives to redundancy, including redeployment of staff to other Pilgrim’s operations in the area.”