A REDDITCH chartered surveyor has called on Britain to withdraw from Europe to save north Worcestershire companies from 'being dismantled before our eyes,' writes Melina Cannon

Business property consultant John Truslove has expressed concerns that towns like Redditch are regularly losing manufacturing businesses which are being replaced by call centres, warehousing and retailing.

He is urging the Government to act now to save what is left of the industrial base and believes the disadvantages of membership far outweigh the advantages.

Mr Truslove, whose self-named company is based at Archer Road, said: "In north Worcestershire, we are seeing more and more industrial companies closing, only to be replaced by distribution and warehousing companies.

"The warehousing we are getting is almost inevitably allied to the retail pyramid.

"Our industrial infrastructure is being dismantled before our eyes."

Mr Truslove also said the county was not seeing demand from industrialists to open up new factories and young people were not taking up craft apprenticeships, leading to a steady erosion of the industrial base.

"We should become the Hong Kong of Europe. We are economically far more aligned with the US than Europe.

"The Government must provide proper fiscal encouragement for industry and act swiftly to encourage manufacturing.

"And I believe coming out of Europe would enable our industrial base to compete more effectively and perhaps stage a rally.

"We once had the greatest manufacturing industry in the world but more and more companies are upping sticks and leaving," said Mr Truslove.