A COMPANY'S move from Hove to Port Talbot was announced in Wales before some Sussex workers were told they would be losing their jobs.

Eighteen full-time posts will go when Joden, which makes Jessica Maybury jewellery, moves from the Hove Business Centre in Fonthill Road next month.

And about ten people who work at home part-time also face the axe.

The news was announced by Neath Port Talbot Council, which described the move as a "major coup" that will create dozens of jobs in Wales, but only seven Hove workers will transfer there.

Joden chairman John Rawlinson is furious because he had still to tell many workers they were losing their jobs.

He said: "We gave someone in the council the news, not to be released until the middle of May.

"I would say that there are elections coming up on May 6 and somebody in Neath Port Talbot Council wants to appear a hero."

Mr Rawlinson added: "We've told the people who will be made redundant at the point we need to tell them under the redundancy notice legislation. These 11 or 12 are working out their notice.

"More people will be made redundant in the next week and the final group in the middle of May. They will continue working out their notice until we move.

Embargo

"The people who have been made redundant are obviously very sad."

Explaining the reason for the move, Mr Rawlinson added: "I'm desperately trying to recruit people, but Brighton JobCentre and Hove JobCentre can't get me the people I need.

"It's not because we want to go to Wales. It's because we can't survive in Brighton and Hove. It's not a town for industry."

The company started in Russell Square, Brighton, moved to Hove after eight years and has been there for the last four years.

Coun Noel Crowley, leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said: "As far as we are aware, there was no embargo on anything. The news was passed on to us by a third party because the property is not in our ownership."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.