supplied by Haydn Betchley
Steve Glover… My dad Dennis Glover worked there from when it started in 1962 until it closed, he had the option to relocate to a new site but decided to take early retirement. If I remember right, in the early 70’s he together with some of his charge hands help set up assembly lines at new locations like Rhyl. It seems ITT would think nothing of relocating if business rates and labour rates were lower else where. At its peak in Hastings, and including the night shift it employed about a 1,000 staff, big blow to the town when it closed.
Chris Greet… It actually moved to an empty STC factory in Basildon in Essex. They moved because of the poor transport route up the A21. The road was mainly single carriageway in the 70s and not ideal for articulated Lorrie’s. Sadly. ITTs business manufacturing televisions didn’t last very long after the move. The Japanese completion was too strong and the Basildon site closed for television manufacture in the late 80s.
Ken Hatch… Probably around the start of the rot setting in to Hastings manufacturers and major employers. Many followed suit over the next 10-15 years, I guess business rates were an issue as even Computing Devices (a relatively young company then) opened an extension in Eastbourne rather than Hastings at some point.
Jude Montague… thank you for the articles
My dad Dennis Glover worked there from when it started in 1962 until it closed, he had the option to relocate to a new site but decided to take early retirement. If I remember right, in the early 70’s he together with some of his charge hands help set up assembly lines at new locations like Rhyl. It seems ITT would think nothing of relocating if business rates and labour rates were lower else where. At its peak in Hastings, and including the night shift it employed about a 1,000 staff, big blow to the town when it closed.
It actually moved to an empty STC factory in Basildon in Essex. They moved because of the poor transport route up the A21. The road was mainly single carriageway in the 70s and not ideal for articulated Lorrie’s. Sadly. ITTs business manufacturing televisions didn’t last very long after the move. The Japanese completion was too strong and the Basildon site closed for television manufacture in the late 80s.