Flying Brands closes growing and live despatch business

Sixteen islanders have lost their jobs at a Jersey company.

Administration and warehouse staff at Flying Brands have been told they are no longer needed.

It comes after its parent company sold Flying Flowers and Gardening Direct. Both firms will continue under new ownership.

Flying Flowers has been bought by Interflora, with island company Jersey Choice purchasing the Gardening Direct division of the firm.

A Flying Brands spokesman said the company was expanding its call centre in St Helier and was in advanced negotiations to lease the former Flying Flowers growing site at Retreat Farm to Jersey Choice.

Flying Brands has 65 employees in Jersey and about 150 in the UK.

The Jersey firm has been struggling since the ending of Low Value Consignment Relief, which allowed certain goods to be sent to the UK VAT free.

The company started in the 1980s, growing carnations in Jersey, but developed into a home shopping business exporting carnation bouquets across the UK.

Source : BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-19075350