[Fleecewife]

I just heard today that Fenland has closed down  .  This was the best place for getting skins tanned - driven out of business apparently because China is buying up all the skins worldwide so too hard for Fenland to source their raw materials

[robert waddell]

so what happens if china goes tits up  ?         the comodity prices will crash
just imagine if they decided to buy up all the corn flakes

[andywalt]

Is this true??

[Fleecewife]

so what happens if china goes tits up  ?         the comodity prices will crash
just imagine if they decided to buy up all the corn flakes

They already own most of the US 

[Fleecewife]

I heard it on the Shetland link from someone who had had a skin she had sent by post returned with the news and details of another tanner who might be able to do the work.  I wouldn't joke about something like that, but I do hope that I am wrong.

[Fleecewife]

This is another posting from the shetland link explaining further what happened at Fenland, so it does sound as if it's true:

Fenland closed very suddenly. I went there on Monday last week to collect a few finished skins only to find it closed. Apparently everyone was sent home at lunch time that day and none of the staff knew beforehand.  I have since been there again and now have my skins. The closure was caused mainly by all the increased costs and vagaries in the world skin trade and not Contract Tanning which is 'our' part of the business. So sad for everyone concerned - they were all such thoroughly nice people.
 
At present they are finishing all skins in the pipeline and will close at Easter for good. If you have skins with them it may be a good idea to contact them but as Pauline says DO NOT SEND ANY MORE RAW SKINS TO THEM. I did not see many Shetland skins there so hopefully they are already dealt with.

[woollyval]

This is very sad but inevitable.... The lovely Tinnions both June and Andrew who sadly died 18 months ago were amazing people