THE PROTECTION of jobs is of paramount importance and it is good news to hear that Lister Petter was able to find a new place within the locality.

200 workers from Dursley and the surrounding area need no longer worry about the company moving to Tewkesbury or even overseas, which at one point was being considered.

While some may struggle with the commute to Hardwicke, near Quedgeley, it keeps a lot of money circulating within our district, though Dursley will perhaps see less of it than before.

Of course the company have been looking to move for sometime as the ageing factory on Long Street has got into a state of disrepair and deemed uneconomical to continue using.

On the face of it, it appears to be a missed opportunity for the Littlecombe site to have such a prestigious company be the flagship for their new business units on the estate.

But negotiations between St Modwen, Stroud District Council and Lister Petter have been going on for years and it appears this was the best solution for everybody.

The district council are confident that new businesses can be found to move to our market town.

But the news that the company, which did more to make Dursley what it is today than any other, is leaving will be received with sadness and nostalgia by most.

It was a centrepiece of the town, particularly at its height when up to 5,000 people were working there, and even though those days are long gone, it will be sorely missed.