Nieuwe hoop voor Colman's Mustard shop...

Fresh hopes over Mustard shop future

The company which owns the city's closure-threatened Mustard Shop has posted net profits of 28pc - increasing hopes the landmark can be saved. Unilever, the parent company of Colman's reported the rise yesterday, although its share price fell when the consumer goods giant decided not to give a forecast for the rest of the year. The Anglo-Dutch company, bought Carrow-based Colman's, which employs 170 people, in 1995 and has invested more than £3m in the site in the past two years.Production of non-Colman's products such as Knorr and Hellman's has been moved to the city, where the historic mustard was first produced back in 1854. The company said its latest results had been helped by higher prices, and “organisational efficiencies” which had helped counter higher commodity costs. Unilever, whose other brands include Persil, Pot Noodle, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Sunsilk shampoo, said it had reduced its spending on advertising and promotions. But, despite the profit boost, a question mark still hangs over the future of The Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum, after Unilever announced the shop was under review. It has been in Norwich since 1973 and is a much loved local institution.

Every year the Victorian style shop is a popular destination for thousands of tourists who come into the city attracting about 16,000 people each month. The shop and museum, which moved from Bridewell Alley in 1999 when the company was owned by Van den Burgh Foods, contains many items on loan from the archives covering all aspects of the history and production. When the Evening News launched a campaign to keep it last summer it was backed by heritage watchdogs city MPs civic officials and customers. Bosses at heritage body HEART (Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust) are still in talks with Unilever to safeguard the shop's future. Mike Loveday, chief executive of HEART, said: “We are still in positive talks with Unilever.” A spokesman for Unilever said: “Our results are for the global business and the shop review is being undertaken on a local level, so it would be dangerous to link the two. But that said we are still working towards a positive outcome for the Mustard Shop.”

Through our campaign, we are encouraging our readers to get in touch to offer their support or to add their names to our online petition. All responses will be sent to Unilever bosses in a bid to save the shop. Write to Evening News Prospect House Rouen Road Norwich NR1 1RE, email katescotter@archant.co.uk or fill in our online petition at www.eveningnews24.co.uk

Norwich, Evening news 24