"After months of negotiations, I was delighted to hear yesterday afternoon that C&C have agreed the sale of Shepton Mallet Cider Mill to Brothers. The deal sees the entire site passed back into the ownership of the Showering family with, I understand, contracts in place for the Shepton Mill to continue to provide pulping and some production of cider for C&C."
"It is very sad that a large number of jobs have been lost on site and I expect that C&C will continue to support those who are losing their jobs to transition into new careers elsewhere. However, the fact that the mill will remain open, will continue to produce cider and has the potential to produce much more cider again in the future is very welcome news for Shepton Mallet."
"There are some great things happening in and around Shepton as this part of Mendip establishes itself as a powerhouse in food and drink manufacturing. I'm thrilled that this deal has been done and I will continue to work with Mendip District Council, Somerset County Council, the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and local businesses to bring even more jobs and investment to the area."