A long-established Bradford refrigeration company is making redundancies at its plant in Idle.

George Barker & Company (Leeds) Ltd declined to discuss a new wave of redundancies at the hard-pressed firm.

One former worker, who would not be named, claimed up to 80 people were due to lose their jobs at the company this month.

The firm, which last year celebrated its 75th anniversary, said in May 2003 that it had plans to increase production by 50 per cent to 12,000 industrial fridges per year.

The firm's Idle base employed 575 people at that time.

But it is understood that sales of commercial refrigeration units, especially in supermarkets, have not been as buoyant as hoped.

George Barker, formed in 1928, moved to its present site in 2002 from Rodley in Leeds.

Turnover was about £58 million in 2002.

The firm has remained tight-lipped about its current difficulties and has refused to discuss the position. Despite more than ten approaches to the company, no one was available for comment about the job losses.

Carl Binns, the firm's human resources director, has declined to speak to the Telegraph & Argus.

In a brief statement he said: "The current redundancy programme is fundamentally due to the seasonal downturn in our business which is part and parcel of the industry we are in."