British Sugar has announced plans to shut its Cantley sugar-processing site on the Norfolk Broads, saying the move would improve efficiency and support the long-term future of the UK sugar industry. Cantley, opened in 1912 on the banks of the River Yare, is the UK’s first sugar-processing factory and has operated for more than a century.
The company says the Cantley plant could close from the end of February 2027, with production redirected to Wissington in west Norfolk, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, and Newark in Nottinghamshire. The firm stressed that all Cantley employees could be affected and that discussions would begin with Unite, the workers’ union, and other employee representatives as part of a formal consultation process.
Politically, Jerome Mayhew, Conservative MP for Broadland and Fakenham, labelled the move “devastating” and warned it could raise costs for Norfolk farmers. He said the Cantley site had long been central to the local farming economy and called for urgent discussions with British Sugar to explore all options and protect jobs.
Keith Packer, managing director of British Sugar, said the proposal followed a thorough review of the business and reflected a combination of external pressures, including low average European sugar prices, high energy costs, and a market-wide, long-term decline in volumes. He noted that the company would consider concentrating beet processing at Wissington, Bury St Edmunds, and Newark, with the consultation including Unite and other employee representatives. British Sugar said that all Cantley employees could be affected and that discussions would begin with the workforce union and other representatives.
Locally, the Cantley site dominates the village and has traditionally received sugar beet from surrounding farms. If Cantley closes, farmers would need to redirect beet supplies to other processing facilities, with potential impacts on transport patterns and related businesses that support Cantley’s operations. The plant is expected to continue operating through the current year as the future of Cantley is decided during the consultation period.
Cantley currently processes around 130,000 tonnes of sugar per year and recently underwent an £11 million upgrade aimed at boosting energy efficiency, underscoring the sector’s exposure to elevated energy costs and shifting demand. The wider move to consolidate production across remaining British Sugar sites is framed by officials as a path to long-term viability rather than a temporary adjustment.
The situation highlights ongoing challenges for the UK sugar sector, including volatile prices, high operating costs, and a shift in demand that is reshaping where beet processing occurs and how farmers and suppliers access processing capacity.
