Scunthorpe businesses say possible job losses at the steelworks will "devastate" the town
A meeting to highlight concerns took place last night
Businesses in Scunthorpe say if there are major job cuts at the steelworks it'll deliver a huge blow to the town which they may never recover from.
There could be up to 2,000 redundancies after plans to close Scunthorpe's blast furnace were announced earlier this month.
Not only would that impact those who work there but also the local economy who rely on the steelworks.
There was a significant turn out of people at a meeting yesterday where businesses and steelworkers showed their support for the industry.
I don't know how people are going to find employment locally
Many owners of local firms were at Ashby Bowl.
Sarah Brelsford owns the Loopy Lotus piercing shop.
She told us: "There's already a massive lack of employment - walking round you can see there are loads of shops closing down as well."
"If that closes there's going to be more jobless people and there just isn't the jobs there and I don't know how these people are going to find employment locally."
Stuart Ross owns the Ashby Bowl which hosted the event.
It's worrying not knowing what's going to happen for the future
He says: "You have the little businesses that make the bearings, do the metal pipework, the plastic pipework - everything in Scunthorpe is built round the steelworks to support the industry."
"It's the main income in the Scunthorpe area."
The possible redundancies are just as concerning for those who work at the steelworks.
Electrician Pete Day has been there for nearly 30 years.
He says: "It's worrying for everybody - myself included."
A Government spokesperson said they have offered a generous 3 hundred million pound plus support package
"I've got a young family - got a wife - got a house - got a mortgage to worry about."
"Yes - it's just the worry of everything really - not knowing what's going to happen for the future."
Over 160 local businesses and groups have signed an open letter calling on government to prevent planned job losses at the steelworks - there is a genuine fear that if they don't, it could be devastating for this town.
A government spokesperson says they're committed to UK steel, and they've offered a generous support package of over 300 million pounds to help British Steel cut emissions and safeguard jobs.