LYONS Seafoods, the Warminster-based firm, has kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations with some of its longest serving employees leading the way.

Having undergone a significant transformation over the past 50 years the company, which retains its original Codford site in addition to a £5million purpose built town-centre factory, is the UK's largest processor of prawns.

The company now supplies prawns and speciality seafood to many of the UK's leading supermarkets as well as some of the largest companies in the catering and hospitality market.

Dave Rideout, distribution manager at the firm's Codford factory and a Lyons employee for the past 32 years, has overseen many changes in production methods since he joined in 1976 and is proud of the company's achievements.

He said: "Lyons has consistently provided good employment opportunities in both Codford and Warminster and in return it has a high proportion of long serving members of staff. I'm one of several people with 30 plus years of service."

Delivery driver Robbie Green, who joined in 1975, said he has noticed a big change in customer tastes with the type of prawns he has had to deliver.

"When I first began my delivery round it consisted mostly of small frozen cold water prawns - the type used in a traditional prawn cocktail.

"But now it's the chilled larger warm water variety which are popular with supermarkets and the catering trade as well as lobster, scallops, smoked salmon and mussels."

Ole Norgard, Lyons Seafoods chief executive for the past 13 years, added: "The West Country, and Warminster in particular, has provided a sound base for Lyons Seafoods throughout the past 50 years. People are the backbone of our business and our dedicated workforce has been vital in the fantastic success story that Lyons Seafoods has become."

Lyons Seafoods remains Warminster's largest private employer providing in excess of 300 jobs in the town and surrounding areas.

8:00am Friday 2nd May 2008

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