AS the devastating news that Honda is to close its Swindon factory begins to sink in workers and business leaders from wider parts of Wiltshire have reacted with almost disbelief.

One of the 3,500 employees who faces redundancy when the plant shuts in 2021 said yesterday: “It’s very disappointing and a huge shock. You build a life at Honda over many years but those skills may not be of any use anywhere else. The atmosphere at the moment is miserable and everyone is very quiet.”

The father-of-two spent Tuesday at home in Wiltshire with his family after all employees were told to take the day off after Honda officially confirmed the closure.

A number of firms outside of Swindon that supply the car giant will be affected by closure. Among those is a firm in the Chippenham constituency area which supplies safety wear.

Continental Automatives, which has a base on the Hopton Industrial Estate, Devizes supplies Honda with parts from its Birmingham factory.

Devizes businessman Iain Wallis who is the south west policy lead for the Federation of Small businesses, said: “There will be many people living in Devizes and the local area who are now less certain about their future.

“It’s not just businesses within the automotive industry who may feel the impact of this decision. My own marquee business has supplied Honda in the past for staff parties and events and whilst this will not have a major impact on us it just shows the variety of local businesses who could lose out”

The union Unite said: “The impact of any closure on the Wiltshire economy and more widely throughout the UK supply chain can’t be underestimated – it would be devastating."

Devizes MP Claire Perry said: “I know that this news is extremely worrying to the thousands of skilled and dedicated staff who work at the factory, their families and all of those employed in the supply chain, including some within my Constituency."

Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan said: “Honda’s announcement is bad news for Wiltshire. I have already been approached by some local companies who sell to them items such as safety wear."

Debbie Williams president of Chippenham Chamber of Commerce said: “I’m devastated, absolutely devastated, thinking about the loss of jobs and the impact for the economy in Wiltshire. The ripple effect will be phenomenal.”