“The World in our backyard.”

Pfizer at Sandwich to close.

Today’s announcement by Pfizer to close their site at Sandwich is a cold reminder to us all that Global decisions can have local impact, for years, maybe decades we have been hearing about jobs being re-located away from the shores of the UK. This is just the latest and closest blow in continuing globalisation trends.  Jobs in East Kent are relying on decisions being taken in some remote corner of the world and it is not really helpful that one colour politics is blaming the other for the situation.

So what can be done, local politicians could stop bickering for starters and look objectively at the situation for the good of the local workforce and population as a whole. Pfizer states they intend to run down their facility in the next 18 to 24 months, is there any chance they can be persuaded to change their mind in that time?

If not, we must recognise that a very large and specialist research facility is about to become vacant in Sandwich. That research facility is a very complex and expensive investment which Pfizer will be anxious to offload to a suitable purchaser.  The best way forward without Pfizer is to look for a suitable company to replace them in their existing premises, the quicker and smoother a transition, the less pain of unemployment to the area.

Not having much knowledge in the area of pharmaceuticals I cannot suggest where to start on this, but there must be other similar companies out there who would appreciate a ready made research facility, built, working and ready to roll.