Around 160 employees at the Romsey site were told this morning that the company was to be closed just weeks after it was acquired by an investment vehicle owned by Datateam Publishing.

The company is understood to have been passed to a liquidator, although there has been no official confirmation as yet.

Ann Field of Unite described the move as a "scandal" saying that staff at the site "have been dismissed without wages, notice, holiday pay and redundancy pay".

In some cases four weeks of overtime are owed, she added.

The company had been in consultation with 42 staff. One employee told PrintWeek that he was expecting a £4,000 redundancy cheque to be paid today, which had not yet been received.

Geoff Burt, an employee who moved over to Borcombe following the closure of then sister company Butler & Tanner in April said: "19 great years at The Friary Press [which became part of Butler and Tanner] and have been put through the whole MPI, Butler & Tanner and
now Borcombe fiasco.

"We were given 30 days notice of redundancy on the 22 November and on the day we were to receive our redundany payments the company goes into liquidation."

Field said: "This is the end of the MPI scandal and the beginning of a new chapter of bringing those who would treat employees and customers in this manner to book and justice."

Borcombe was acquired by HS Printers from administration, following the collapse of MPI.

More to follow…