A Norfolk businessman who had proposed a plan to save the Heinz factory near Worstead said hopes for a social enterprise have failed.

Eastern Daily Press: Heinz factory at Westwick near North Walsham.Picture: ANTONY KELLYHeinz factory at Westwick near North Walsham.Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2014)

Glynn Burrows, 55, of Gressenhall near Dereham, had hoped to save the 200 jobs set to be lost when the long-running factory closes in April.

But his idea for a business called Norfolk Farms, which would have used local produce to manufacture frozen potato products, ran up against licensing problems.

'I had got quite far along and had a team in place to run it for me,' he said.

'But even though we would be producing exactly the same thing in the same factory, it would have been a new product. Every new food product has to go through stringent tests and regulations.'

Mr Burrow said the factory would have had to remain empty for up to six months to wait for a licence.

Closure of the long-running factory, near Worstead, was proposed in October after Heinz lost a major contract from the William Jackson Food Group to produce frozen potato products for the Aunt Bessie's range.

'I am disappointed for the area,' said Mr Burrows. 'It is not just the loss of 200 jobs, there are the families of people that work there and potato producers.

He said the only hope for the factory was that a big-name such as McCain could take it on.