A HISTORIC Yeovil glovemaker faces an uncertain future amid ongoing economic pressures, writes Annelise Furniss.

For nearly 200 years, Pittards have manufactured world-class leather goods.

They currently employ around 200 people in Yeovil and trade union officials representing these workers have urged the UK government to do more to support the manufacturing sector and protect local jobs.

The firm filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on August 8.

Gavin Miller, community union’s national officer for Light Industries, said: “This is an incredibly worrying situation for our members at Pittards and it’s important that the company works alongside our officials on-site to support the dedicated workforce at this challenging time.

“It’s clear that recent developments at Pittards have not emerged in a vacuum, but rather are symptomatic of the difficult outlook facing manufacturers across the country.

“The situation has not been helped by the UK Government’s ambivalence towards our manufacturing sector, as demonstrated by the lack of any feasible support for businesses in response to inflation rises and industrial energy bills.”

Ines Lage, regional secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the South West, added: “The TUC are supportive of the ongoing work by our affiliate union, Community, as they continue to monitor the situation at Pittards and support workers on the ground.

“Yeovil and Somerset have been synonymous with high-quality glove-making and leather manufacturing over the course of centuries, and Pittards remains a bastion of that proud tradition.

“The current Government must do more to protect good local jobs and support businesses like Pittards in the face of ongoing economic pressures.

"Inflation is still too high and it is deeply affecting local communities, businesses, and workers.”

The TUC currently supports around half a million workers in the South West.