Cantley sugar factory closes after significant plant failure

The Norfolk factory, built in 1912 on the banks of the River Yare, opened for this year's deliveries in October and would usually be processing sugar beet throughout the winter until March.

But following a machinery failure on December 19, British Sugar has taken the decision not to process sugar beet at this factory for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.

"We believe this is the appropriate action following our initial assessment and in the interest of safety whilst a full investigation continues," says a company statement.

"We're still very thankful that no-one was injured and we continue to work together with our agricultural and operational teams and growers to ensure that we minimise disruption as best we can to our growers and hauliers."

The company says sugar beet will continue to be diverted and processed at its other factories at Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and Wissington, near King's Lynn.

Additional costs from these increased distances will be met by British Sugar, it added, while its commercial customers would not be affected.

Fenland beet grower Michael Sly is chairman of the National Farmers' Union's sugar board (NFU Sugar) (Image: NFU / Tim Scrivener)

But Fenland sugar beet grower and National Farmers' Union sugar board chairman Michael Sly said the shutdown would be concerning news for growers supplying the Cantley factory - particularly after recent freezing temperatures had increased the risk of frost damage to sugar beet.

Extremely cold weather followed by sudden thaws could cause the deterioration of roots, the Norwich-based British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) warned recently.

"The recent very low temperatures and heavy frosts have impacted some areas of sugar beet, which now need to be processed quickly, so the shutdown of operations at the Cantley factory is of particular concern," said Mr Sly.

"British Sugar has assured us that everything possible is being done to minimise disruption to growers and hauliers, with Cantley bound sugar beet being diverted and processed at British Sugar’s factories in Bury St Edmunds and Wissington."

The Cantley factory would usually process up to 1.5 million tonnes of beet per year, producing up to 220,000 tonnes of sugar.

The British Sugar factory at Cantley will be closed for the rest of the 2022-23 campaign after a 'significant plant failure' (Image: Simon Finlay)