- Title: Brexit the wrong fit for English fancy dress company
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: GAINSBOROUGH, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EU FLAGS FLYING ABOVE SMIFFY'S WAREHOUSE SMIFFY'S LOGO ON BUILDING VARIOUS OF CHRISTMAS FANCY DRESS COSTUMES DIRECTOR OF SMIFFYS, ELLIOTT PECKETT, WALKING PAST COSTUMES SNOWMAN HEAD COSTUME (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF SMIFFYS, ELLIOTT PECKETT, SAYING: "We are not prepared to wait on a wing and prayer for the government to negotiate something. The reality, it could be a financial disaster for the business and for many other companies in the UK." CHRISTMAS JUMPER VARIOUS OF FATHER CHRISTMAS COSTUME (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF SMIFFYS, ELLIOTT PECKETT, SAYING: "Had we done nothing, the reality could have been a whole lot different. We could be looking at a future for the UK outside of the single market and we just cannot afford for that to happen." VARIOUS OF WIGS VARIOUS OF COSTUMES UNION JACK SUIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF SMIFFYS, ELLIOTT PECKETT, SAYING: "We've had absolutely no commitment from any MPs, or government agencies, or bodies to say the jobs of those people are safe and that they can continue to live and work in the UK." VARIOUS OF FORKLIFT TRUCKS IN WAREHOUSE BOX READING "SMIFFY'S (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF SMIFFYS, ELLIOTT PECKETT, SAYING: "We want to be perceived as a truly European company to our customers. What Brexit has done is made sure that this is an absolute solution for us, we have to move the headquarters to Europe inside the single market." VARIOUS OF BOXES IN WAREHOUSE
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 13:11
- Keywords: Brexit Smiffys Britain Holland EU Single Market Costume Fancy Dress Gainsborough
- Location: GAINSBOROUGH, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: GAINSBOROUGH, LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C5XKQV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: With Christmas music blaring, staff at English fancy dress company Smiffys are stuffing elf outfits and Santa Claus suits into boxes to send to clients across Europe.
Before long, the headquarters of the 122-year-old family business will be heading to the Netherlands too - a sign of how uncertainty over Britain's exit from the European Union is forcing some companies to rethink their plans.
The company, based in Lincolnshire, central England, says it has been badly hit by the fall of the pound since Britons voted for Brexit in June, because it imports most of its products from manufacturers in China.
Smiffys says it exports to 42 countries and has an annual turnover of 56 million pounds ($70.5 million).
The company is also concerned about the lack of clarity on when Britain will trigger the divorce process from the EU and whether companies will be able to access the bloc's tariff-free single market post-Brexit.
"We cannot afford to wait on a wing and a prayer for the government to negotiate something," said Director Elliott Peckett. "If there are no deals in place prior to us pulling out then we will be faced with exporting 30-40 percent of our sales to Europe, which will carry a tariff that will make us uncompetitive."
He declined to say when the firm would shift its base to the Netherlands. It is also opening a distribution site in Germany next week, and has offices in Australia and the United States.
Smiffys currently employs dozens of non-British EU nationals among its 250 staff in the UK, and Peckett complained at the lack of clarity from members of parliament or the government about whether they would have the right to stay. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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