THE LAST manufacturer left on one of what was once one of the epicentres of the borough's industrial heritage closed its doors last week, with 18 jobs lost.
Barcon Systems, a concrete supplier, closed for good last Friday, having occupied a workshop at Horwich Loco Works since 1984, with bulldozers set to demolish the site on Wednesday.
This marks the end of an era as Bolton's one-time status as a world leading industrial power draws to a close, with the works' history stretching back to the Victorian era when it was a key part of the workshop that fed the North of England's economy.
Production and design co-ordinator Simon Smith said: "We're the last manufacturing firm here so its an end of an era really.
Horwich Loco has been an industrial site since the 19th century
"At one point, when this place was in full swing, there were 15,000 employees working here."
Barcon Systems has been sending out its notices to its final 18 employees since Christmas, with Mr Smith running what is left of the company alongside design manager Alan Bradbury.
Together they handed over the keys to the premises to a property developer last Friday, with the area already earmarked for new housing.
Barcon Systems is the last manufacturer to leave Horwich Loco Works
Mr Smith said: "It's been known about for 10 years but now it's finally happened."
He added: "We've just not been able to find new premises close enough to keep the current workforce in their jobs.
"We've just been doing the termination letters, some finished at Christmas but obviously the landlord wanted the place to be left in a reasonable state so that's what we've been working at since then."
The company was founded in 1982 by Peter Messinger, moving into its current and final home two years later.
This now marks the end of an era
At the time there were four pre-cast firms on the site and all the workshops had businesses in them.
But over the last eight years in particular industry on the site dwindled until only one firm remained.
Mr Smith said: "It's been up and down since then but we've at least managed to survive so it's very sad."
The site will now be cleared ahead of plans by Bellway Homes to build 205 new houses where Horwich Loco once stood.
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