MILLERS OF Speyside has suspended its production following an outbreak of Covid-19 in the local area.

The meat processing company based in Grantown on Spey closed this evening (September 2) for 14 days as a response to seven cases of Coronavirus being reported in the region.

Millers of Speyside took an 'ethical' decision to close in order to protect its employees and the local community, despite Food Standards Agency and Public Health stating the facility could remain open.

Managing Director at Millers of Speyside, Sandy Milne, said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff here at Millers of Speyside, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to ensure continued food production, is of the utmost importance.

“To prevent further spread of the virus among both our employees and the local community, we have opted to close our facility for fourteen days.”

Chief Executive at Quality Meat Scotland, Alan Clarke, added: “Since the start of Covid-19, QMS has worked hard with industry partners to ensure that the Scottish red meat supply chain has continued to operate when new measures, such as the introduction of social distancing in processors, were introduced.”

“Millers of Speyside, like other Scottish food businesses, has whole-heartedly embraced these measures and has followed all guidelines, to isolate the spread of infection, protecting the health and wellbeing of their workforce and the local community.

“We wish those who have been infected a speedy recovery.”