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| British Steel: Deja vu for the people of Scunthorpe? | British Steel: Deja vu for the people of Scunthorpe? |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| While British Steel's future hangs in the balance, is this deja vu for Scunthorpe's steelworks - or will fate spell a different destiny for the plant? | While British Steel's future hangs in the balance, is this deja vu for Scunthorpe's steelworks - or will fate spell a different destiny for the plant? |
| Cast your mind back to October 2015 - during the Tata Steel era - and this North Lincolnshire steel town was being put through the mill of uncertainty. | |
| But then came along new owners Greybull Capital and the plant's future started to look bright again. | |
| However, fast forward four years and uncertainty is hanging over the town again. | |
| British Steel is on the verge of administration as it lobbies the government for backing, sources say. | British Steel is on the verge of administration as it lobbies the government for backing, sources say. |
| The UK's second-biggest steel maker is trying to secure £75m in financial support to help it to address "Brexit-related issues". | The UK's second-biggest steel maker is trying to secure £75m in financial support to help it to address "Brexit-related issues". |
| If it does not get the cash it would put 5,000 jobs at risk - more than 3,000 of them at the company's main Scunthorpe sire, and endanger 20,000 in the supply chain. | |
| "Everyone is terrified," said steelworker Kevin Prior. | "Everyone is terrified," said steelworker Kevin Prior. |
| The 32-year-old scrap metal cutter has been at the plant since 2015 and said the current mood "echoes" that of four years ago. | The 32-year-old scrap metal cutter has been at the plant since 2015 and said the current mood "echoes" that of four years ago. |
| "I'm only just recovering from when I got laid off at my last job. | "I'm only just recovering from when I got laid off at my last job. |
| "I've built myself back up and it's just become stable. I have got a solid income now and I'm able to begin living properly. Me and my partner have moved in to a new house. | "I've built myself back up and it's just become stable. I have got a solid income now and I'm able to begin living properly. Me and my partner have moved in to a new house. |
| "But now it's 'oh no, not again'. | "But now it's 'oh no, not again'. |
| "I'm so used to this kind of bad news. But I'll keep my chin up and do what I can to press on." | "I'm so used to this kind of bad news. But I'll keep my chin up and do what I can to press on." |
| Mr Prior, whose sister and brother-in-law also work at the plant, said rumours about the company's future had been circulating for a number of weeks. | Mr Prior, whose sister and brother-in-law also work at the plant, said rumours about the company's future had been circulating for a number of weeks. |
| "It's just heartbreaking," he said. | "It's just heartbreaking," he said. |
| "It's horrible to hear that my sister is crying herself to sleep because she doesn't know what's going to happen with her husband's job and what that means for them. | "It's horrible to hear that my sister is crying herself to sleep because she doesn't know what's going to happen with her husband's job and what that means for them. |
| "There's not that many jobs in Scunthorpe. | "There's not that many jobs in Scunthorpe. |
| "What on earth am I going to do? There's nothing bright on the horizon if this goes down." | "What on earth am I going to do? There's nothing bright on the horizon if this goes down." |
| In a nearby cafe frequented by British Steel staff and its contractors, a worker is clearing up tables before closing for the day, ready to start again the next morning. | In a nearby cafe frequented by British Steel staff and its contractors, a worker is clearing up tables before closing for the day, ready to start again the next morning. |
| As she laments over the possibility of the plant collapsing, she tells me how the cafe has had "no trade for the past six to eight weeks" because of the looming threat of administration. | As she laments over the possibility of the plant collapsing, she tells me how the cafe has had "no trade for the past six to eight weeks" because of the looming threat of administration. |
| The worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, is even more worried about the cafe "going under". | The worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, is even more worried about the cafe "going under". |
| "The minute that [steelworks] shuts this place is going to close," she said. | "The minute that [steelworks] shuts this place is going to close," she said. |
| "And when that happens I'll be at the back of the dole queue because I'm not skilled. | "And when that happens I'll be at the back of the dole queue because I'm not skilled. |
| "The government has to do something." | "The government has to do something." |
| While plumes of smoke rise and trail off from the steelwork's imposing towers, in the town's shopping precinct the thick cloud is yet to penetrate Scunthorpe's blue skyline. | While plumes of smoke rise and trail off from the steelwork's imposing towers, in the town's shopping precinct the thick cloud is yet to penetrate Scunthorpe's blue skyline. |
| David Phillip Patinson, 55, who owns a local garage, said he was "60% positive" British Steel would be rescued, as shutting the doors on a 150-year-old manufacturing giant meant "this town is finished". | David Phillip Patinson, 55, who owns a local garage, said he was "60% positive" British Steel would be rescued, as shutting the doors on a 150-year-old manufacturing giant meant "this town is finished". |
| "They've been in this position before in the past and they've always managed to scrape through," he said. | "They've been in this position before in the past and they've always managed to scrape through," he said. |
| "The steelworks is the backbone of Scunthorpe. It's the only thing that keeps this town going and without that I don't know what'll happen." | "The steelworks is the backbone of Scunthorpe. It's the only thing that keeps this town going and without that I don't know what'll happen." |
| As he sweeps his index finger left-to-right across a row of shops, the mechanic says: "All these businesses, all these shops and everything else, they rely on British Steel [customers] spending money in these places. | As he sweeps his index finger left-to-right across a row of shops, the mechanic says: "All these businesses, all these shops and everything else, they rely on British Steel [customers] spending money in these places. |
| "And if that shuts and 2,000-plus jobs go, then Scunthorpe will just be a ghost town. | "And if that shuts and 2,000-plus jobs go, then Scunthorpe will just be a ghost town. |
| "My business and everyone else's here wouldn't survive." | "My business and everyone else's here wouldn't survive." |
| His sentiments are resonated by Scunthorpe-born-and-bred shoppers Racheal Jones and her partner Stevhen Drewery, both 26. | His sentiments are resonated by Scunthorpe-born-and-bred shoppers Racheal Jones and her partner Stevhen Drewery, both 26. |
| "If the steelworks shuts down then it's the end of Scunthorpe. | "If the steelworks shuts down then it's the end of Scunthorpe. |
| "Scunthorpe is a steel-built town and if the steel is gone then we've got nothing else. Everything else is going to get shut down." | "Scunthorpe is a steel-built town and if the steel is gone then we've got nothing else. Everything else is going to get shut down." |
| The stay-at-home mum said she feared her and her family would have "no future in this town" if the plant were to close. | The stay-at-home mum said she feared her and her family would have "no future in this town" if the plant were to close. |
| "If I try to get a job then it's going to be harder because there'll be more experienced and skilled people wanting those jobs. | "If I try to get a job then it's going to be harder because there'll be more experienced and skilled people wanting those jobs. |
| "Our little girl's two years old and it's going to affect her in the long run." | "Our little girl's two years old and it's going to affect her in the long run." |
| But Miss Jones said she was "hopeful" the plant "would continue". | But Miss Jones said she was "hopeful" the plant "would continue". |
| "It belongs here. It should stay here forever. But they say things can't last forever can they? It's sad really." | "It belongs here. It should stay here forever. But they say things can't last forever can they? It's sad really." |