2 Sisters: Locals on 'forgotten island' fear another jobs blow after Anglesey chicken factory news

  • With the news that more than 700 jobs at a poultry factory in Llangefni are at risk, locals are worried that Anglesey is being dealt another jobs blow.

There are dark clouds gathering over Llangefni, Anglesey, where more than 700 people have been told their jobs at a local chicken factory could go within a few weeks.

People living here worry how they’ll pay their bills and Ynys Mon Council Leader Llinos Medi Huws says it “feels like the forgotten island”.

2 sisters, known locally as Chuckie’s, sits on the edge of town. For more than 50 years it has employed generations of people from the same families.

One shopper in the town told me the site is part of Llangefni “folklore”.

"It's been here 50 years. It's going to have a huge, huge impact", he said.

A woman coming out of a charity shop in the town said she worries how people will manage.

She said: "There are a lot of people absolutely devastated because they've got houses to pay for...the young people with mortgages, where are they going to get a job like that?

"It's very difficult, I feel sorry for them."

One woman from the area said if the factory closes it would be "devastating" for people living on the island.

Local businesswoman Rhian Sinnott has run Cain in the area for 12 years. Her father worked at the plant doing maintenance until he retired.

She said: “I have friends who work there as well so there’s a lot of concern, there’s a lot of worry. I think they have 45 days to decide now so it’s a worry over somebody’s head especially if you have families and mortgages. 

“It’s going to have a big knock on effect on youngsters who are looking for work when they leave school”.

A few doors down Aysh Tas runs Cosy Corner Cafe. 

Originally from Turkey, she’s been part of the community for years. She has been hearing their fears.

“One of my customers said she’s been there 20 years, she feels very sad," said Aysh.

"It’s a long time 20 years to work for this company. It’s really sad”.

Aysh Tas said one of her customers has worked at the Llangefni factory for two decades.

Thoughts turn now to the future for the thousands living on Ynys Mon. 

They’ve seen job losses before - they pinned their hopes on a new power plant at Wylfa. Although not dead in the water, plans have stalled -  there’s no backing from the UK Government and job opportunities would be years away.

Councillor Llinos Medi Huws is concerned. She said: “This is a close knit community, we drive past this factory. We see people walking to their work. Riding their bikes to work. It’s a part of us.”

She added: “It feels like the forgotten Island doesn’t it. We do everything- everything we can to promote the Island… it feels like this big voice of ours is not being heard anywhere else."