ANY hopes of a last minute reprieve for Ducal have been dashed, following a meeting this week between the town's MP and the company's boss.

The town was rocked in April with the news Ducal - one of the biggest and most important employers in Andover - would close on 4 July with the loss of 492 jobs.

Workers were told that sales had plummeted from £48 million in 1998 to less than £26 million last year because of pressure from imports and the lack of successful new products.

This week Sir George met with Mary Czulowski, the managing director of Ducal.

"I explained the sadness in Andover at the loss of Ducal, and the impact this would have on many families because of the numbers working there," said the MP.

"It was made clear that there was no question of revisiting the decision, which is final and non-negotiable."

But he added: "It was helpful to get more background information about the reasons behind the decision to close Ducal, relatively soon after it was acquired by Silentnight.

"I also wanted to find out what was being done to find alternative work for those of my constituents who are being made redundant."

He was told that 31 employees had already left and found new work, and the outplacement company is hopeful that a large number of Ducal employees will be found new jobs.

Sir George also asked about progress in disposing of the units, so that other companies could move in and replace the jobs that are being lost.

"I understand that interest has been expressed in two of the units, and they obviously hope to find other companies to take over the remaining ones," Sir George added.

Mr Jeffrey Wiseman, the former chairman of Ducal, brought the business to Walworth Industrial Estate from the East End of London in 1983.

In those days it had just one unit but he helped build the business up until it was the biggest employer in Andover and hailed as an international success.