'Glasgow needn't worry, Mortons is back': Bakery to reopen on Sunday

Glasgow bakery, Mortons Rolls, has announced today that production will restart in the Drumchapel factory this weekend.

It comes after the company fell into administration earlier this month, attributing rising energy costs and the Covid pandemic to its downfall.

Around 110 jobs have been saved - however, this is only half of the previous workforce, which were served with redundancy notices last week.

However, the new owners, investment consortium PVL, are pledging to expand the number of jobs available "in the short, medium and long term" if the "right support" becomes available.

John McIlvogue, who represents PVL, said: “This is a bittersweet moment for me, for the people who work here and for the wider community that relies on the jobs this factory provides.

"None of us wanted the past couple of weeks to unfold in the way that they have, but it has been entirely outwith our control.

"The important thing now is that Morton’s is back in action, we’ve got the workforce back on the production line, and we’re ready to start producing our famous rolls that the good people of Glasgow have been crying out for.

'We are going to need help'

He added: “We want to be as honest and upfront with people as we possibly can be, and the truth is that we are going to need help moving forward.

"The business is undoubtedly viable - we have a world-class product and an exceptionally experienced workforce, but the factory itself is antiquated and in need of a serious overhaul.

"That’s where we need the help of the Scottish Government and its agencies, something we are hopeful we can iron out in the coming weeks.

“In an ideal world these things would have all been sorted out before we restarted production, but the reality is we couldn’t leave the workforce in limbo.

"They needed us to unlock the gates and let them get back to work, and we knew that was the right and proper thing to do.

"The love and support shown to Morton’s in the past couple of weeks has been incredible – only in Glasgow would a morning roll solicit such affection, but it shows the power of this brand and it shows the potential of what we could achieve in the years to come.

"We are absolutely committed to getting this right, to putting Morton’s on a sustainable footing and an upward trajectory, but we are being honest and upfront in our assertion that we will need support to do so.

“Glasgow doesn’t need to worry about having nae rolls anymore; Morton’s is back.”

Political support

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney was one of many politicians who supported the "iconic brand" in finding a suitable way forward.

He said: "It's with a sense of relief, that after intense and detailed discussions, production will now restart at Mortons Rolls with over 100 jobs having been saved.

"After meeting with John McIlvogue and his fellow investors, it was clear that they cared deeply about the company and it's amazing workforce.

"These circumstances are by no means perfect, and there's still work to be done to ensure Mortons is a sustainable business than can thrive for generations to come and ensure that all employees who've lost their jobs get the settlements that they deserve.

"The community of Drumchapel needs Mortons to thrive, and I'm confident that the right support in modernising operations and with a renewed focus on their core bakery focus, this business will outlive all of this.

"It's been a painstaking couple of weeks but I'm glad we got there in the end, and people in Glasgow can enjoy their favourite morning rolls once again."

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