08 Nov 2012
Two years after its original factory was gutted by fire a family-run business has reopened in Bronte country.
Housing Airedale Springs’ factory, the six-storey Victorian Ebor Mill building had been a landmark in Haworth – home to the 19th century literary sisters – for more than a century before it was demolished following the August 2010 blaze.
But the West Yorkshire spring-making firm kept on all of its staff and invested in a new factory, which has now been reopened and blessed by the Bishop of Bradford.
Company chairman Tim Parkinson told the BBC they were grateful to everyone – including rival firms – who had helped the firm to survive.
He added: “It’s been very difficult but we’ve got every confidence.”
Trevor Woods, who has been with the firm all of his working life, said the blaze – one of the biggest ever seen in the village – had devastated everyone.
“Most of us who worked there were in tears just to see it go up like that,” he said.
Local homes were evacuated and nobody was hurt in the blaze, which was tackled by around 100 firefighters.
Copyright Press Association 2012