BUSINESSMAN Jack Harrison has a big decision to make shortly. When the insurance is settled following a £250,000 blaze last month he will have to either move the business or re-furbish the existing, fire-damaged premises. Mr Harrison is owner and managing director of Delmarco, a manufacturer of cleaning and hygiene chemicals based in Brewery Lane, Leigh.

A fire believed to have been started by an electrical fault destroyed the roof and top floor of a Victorian building which used to be owned by the former George Shaw brewery.

"We are considering the options," said Mr Harrison. He said that if they did re-locate it would be to somewhere reasonably local - Bolton is not ruled-out - because the staff of 15 was made-up of local people.

In the meantime he is keen to point out that production will be back to normal very shortly.

The company, which was established in 1949, lost £100,000 worth of stock and plant and equipment.

Production was switched to another part of the building and a warehouse had to be hired in Hindley Green. There are two operations providing cleaning materials to pubs, clubs, bakeries, hotels and other establish- ments.

One is to several hundred customers within 25 miles of Leigh, including some in the Bolton area. The other is to about 50 customers throughout the country served by national distributors.

"We are grateful to the staff and to our customers who have understood our problems," Mr Harrison said.

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