A tradition stretching back 180 years is to end after the announcement today that production will cease at John Foster's in Black Dyke Mills, Queensbury.

The decision by the textile group to make 64 workers redundant and stop the manufacture of cloth was greeted with sadness in the village.

Many of the villagers today recounted how their grandparents and great-grandparents had worked at the world-famous company and how the decision marked the end of an era.

The job losses represent a double blow for Bradford following an announcement by Saltaire-based Pace Micro Technology today of its biggest-ever round of redundancies. A total of 150 jobs are being axed with 90 going at the firm's headquarters in Salts Mill.

But the redundancies at Pace were countered by a second announcement that the company has received a substantial order for its digital set-top boxes from BSkyB.

John Foster & Son, which still sponsors the Black Dyke Mills Band, employed 800 workers in its hey day.

It will retain 20 jobs at the mill - mainly management, office and shop staff - and cloth-making will be carried out at other firms in Bradford and Huddersfield.

The firm has shed almost 600 jobs at the mill since 1992 - but John Fosters property company has leased much of the 300,000 sq ft mill space to other firms, creating 450 jobs in recent years.

Antony Collins, managing director of John Foster's, said the strength of the pound and falling orders from its main export areas of the Far East and Japan had led to the firm's decision.

He said: "We have ceased manufacturing at John Foster's but this is not an unemployment blackspot.

"We will also be using a textile firm which has leased space in our mill - Mandale Weavers - to do some of the work for us," he added.

Queensbury councillor Jack Womersley said the redundancies signalled the end of a great manufacturing tradition at the site.

He said: "It is sad to see the company in so much difficulty. I was hoping that it would be able to ride the storm, but maybe this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Local people have lost their jobs and that is very disappointing."

The Black Dyke Mills Band, which was set up in 1855 by the firm's founder John Foster, is still sponsored by the company but its main sponsor is the Bradford & Bingley Building Society.

Residents and shopkeepers in Queensbury reacted with sadness to news of further job losses at Black Dyke Mills.

Sandra Mallinson, who works at High Street Newsagents, described the mood among residents today as sombre.

She said: "My sister Julie was made redundant from the company in the last wave of cuts shortly before Christmas.

"These new job losses are a big blow for the village. In the 1970s the mill was the heart of Queensbury. There used to be at least one person from every family in the village who worked there.

"Since then things have gradually gone downhill. There has been a lot of uncertainty for the workers over the last 12 months and it has really been a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'."

Other shop owners say the redundancies will hit their takings. Arlene Loftus, manager of the Jolly Good Food sandwich shop in High Street, said: "A lot of the workers come here for their lunches so we will probably end up losing trade."

And Christopher Jacques, owner of Topsy Jewellers in High Street, said he expected trade to dwindle further with the closure.

Mr Jacques, who has worked in Queensbury for 11 years, said: "It was completely different here 10 years ago.

"Lots of shops have closed since the mill started winding down, though many workers have come in here for leaving presents.

"There are houses being built in Queens-bury, but those people don't tend to shop locally. It is a major setback for the village."

Resident Gerald Williams said it was a very sad day. Mr Williams was a worker at the mills for 40 years and was made redundant five years ago. He said : "It is a shock and very upsetting. Back in 1955 the Mill employed at least 1,000 people. And now it is only going to be 20."

It was a double blow for Mr Williams as he had just found out his daughter who currently works at the mill is one of the causalities of redundancies.

Pat Peters, who runs Pat's Curtains and Cushions, said it was a sad loss. She said: "It was the reason the village was built and it was a central part of the community."

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