BiFab in administration: Fife workers react to 'heartbreaking' announcement

Two Fife workers, who don’t want to be named, said the news is not only a blow for the employees who are left and their families, but it will also have an impact on the local community.

One who worked as a fabricator at the company’s bases in Methil and Burntisland said: “It didn't feel the news came as much of a surprise really, it’s been dragged out that long that I'm not sure many people expected any other news than this.

"I'd be surprised if there was more than a handful of people in a maintenance capacity left at Burntisland now.

"It is a blow with just weeks until Christmas but at the same time it’s been shut to contractors since lockdown, so I'd have hoped people would have found other work to tide themselves over.

"A few people in an office capacity would have been paid off with immediate effect following the news so for the people working to secure contracts and stuff it'll hit them the most I feel.”

He added: “It is heartbreaking considering the amount of workers that were employed just a few years ago, it was massive in terms of employment in Fife. You can see the damage to the economies in the surrounding towns with small cafes and stuff that catered to the workforce have closed. There was a cafe in Burntisland that ran basically for us, we were his main source of income, but once payoffs and stuff started he had to close due to lack of custom.”

Another worker, who previously worked at the Methil yard, said local business will be affected: “There were many travelling workers who stayed in hotels and BnBs. Many local people rented out flats so the economy will be hit hard in and around the Methil area.”

He added: “It’s never a good time to be made redundant but Christmas time is especially hard. There are father and sons, brothers working together who will lose their jobs.”

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