Queen and Duke will visit Plymouth
THE QUEEN and the Duke of Edinburgh are to visit Plymouth next month as part of a whistle-stop tour of Devon.
The Royal couple will be taken to Wrigley’s at Estover on March 11 to help workers celebrate 40th birthday of the factory, which was officially opened by the Duke 38 years ago.
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Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Her Majesty and Prince Philip will meet representatives of Wrigley’s staff and members of the charitable arm of the company.
They will see events in the ’quality room’ and the health centre before continuing to the restaurant to witness a plaque unveiling.
The Wrigley Company has been selling chewing gum in the UK since 1911 and operates as a subsidiary of Mars Inc.
Wrigley has had a manufacturing presence in the UK since 1926 and moved to the Plymouth site in 1970.
The company employs more than 550 people throughout the UK and has an additional sales office in Reading.
The Queen has been a regular visitor to the city over the years, and this is not even her first visit to an Estover factory.
On June 23, 1999, she and Prince Philip visited the Gleason’s factory where gear-cutting machinery is manufactured.
In 1977, the Queen visited the city as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations.
And there have been several visits with Royal Navy and Devonport Dockyard connections.
Ian Burton, managing director of Wrigley UK and Republic of Ireland, said: “Wrigley is very much looking forward to welcoming Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh on their forthcoming visit to the Wrigley factory on 11th March to help commemorate our 40th anniversary in Plymouth.
“Wrigley started manufacturing chewing gum at its Estover site in May 1970 and since then has been an integral part of the city and local community.
“We are particularly delighted to welcome back His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh who officially opened the factory in 1972.”
The Royal one-day tour will also include stops in Exeter and at Dartington Hall, Totnes.
22 Comments
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by neil, estover
Friday, February 26 2010, 7:20PM
“Hey i might invite them in for a cup of tea into my work place as i only work around the corner lol”
by C22 ROCKS!, Plymouth
Thursday, February 25 2010, 11:31PM
“The JTAC increased security alert to severe in january.
Publicity for the Royal visit is widespread.
Someone's 'avin' a lend of us.
Terrorist threat, declared Royal visits, dates and times ahead of schedule?
It don't add up.”
by Brian, Plymouth
Thursday, February 25 2010, 8:49PM
“Has the Palace asked permission from Queen Viv? I, too, would like to know if there are any British manufacturing businesses left in Plymouth. Probably only Friary Mill bakery!!”
by Republican, plympton
Thursday, February 25 2010, 8:41PM
“Viva La Revolution!
Outdated, unwanted, unneeded parasites. There time will come.”
by Oliver Cromwell, .
Thursday, February 25 2010, 6:42PM
“Quote:
"They will see events in the ¿quality room¿ and the health centre before continuing to the restaurant to witness a plaque unveiling."
You gotta hand it to Wrigleys, they sure know how to show the monarch a good time.”
by Ross, Plymstock
Thursday, February 25 2010, 6:23PM
“im meeting her with cadets. xD”
by Jimbo, plymstock
Thursday, February 25 2010, 6:20PM
“Maybe we could show her the real Plymouth instead, She could disembark at bretonside to see the alcoholics, then walk through the city centre to be accousted by beggars, past the wasters hanging round the sundial and finish it off visiting the drunken thugs in union street in the evening.”
by Rick O'Shay, zog
Thursday, February 25 2010, 6:14PM
“What sort of society is it that makes an 83 year old and an 89 year old complete a 500 mile round trip to visit a chewing gum factory ?
I think Help the Aged should lodge a complaint. It's time these two were allowed to put their feet up.
Dave Devonport - Phil the Greek IS a migrant worker and has been since he married Liz in the 1940's.”
by steve, plymouth
Thursday, February 25 2010, 5:15PM
“I agree with Dave, Devonport. I'd be willing to bet a fair sum that Mars inc(USA company) will move their european operation to Poland or somewhere similar within 5 years! Exactly in the way Toshiba moved there. If you can make TVs cheaper in eastern europe then you can sure as hell do the same with chewing gum!
Are there ANY truly British major manufacturing companies left in Plymouth? If so maybe HRH should visit one of those instead!”
by Boris Napper, Eddystone Lighthouse
Thursday, February 25 2010, 4:41PM
“Oh dear! The boss is coming to view her portfolio.
Expect Plymouth to be in the international classifieds as a going concern sometime soon.”