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Laxey Glen Mills' losses almost double in a year

Site 'rarely faced so many challenges'

The problems faced by the Island's only flour mill are reflected in a reported £39,000 loss for the year ended 31st of March 2022. The deficit is almost double that recorded the previous year.

In her annual report Laxey Glen Mills chair, Amanda Binden, says the Mill has rarely faced so many challenges in its history, including a global pandemic, silo failure, a one in twenty crop failure, the battle against ageing machinery and rapid cost increases.

In her report the Chair also points to ongoing issues with the Mill building and the need for a major refurbishment. She says that during the year all options for the future of the Mill were considered, from refurbishment, to a new mill on a new site, or closure. 

These proposals were presented to the Mill's shareholder, the Isle of Man Government, and will, she says, need to be part of the Island's Food and Agricultural Strategy. In light of the closure in May last year of Ramsey Bakery, these options were being revised.

The Chair thanked the team at the Mill for their continued support and hard work, saying she is 'constantly amazed by their talents at being able to fix the Mill's ageing machinery and their ability to come up with work around solutions'.

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