Neil Robson
Neil belongs to: Merchants and Traders
Neil was born in Craster and is the fourth generation of his family in the kipper business. The business has gone through a series of changes in recent times, but Robson's continues to make kippers.
Neil was interviewed by Kylea Little on 7 February 2006. The interview took place at Robson's Kippers, Craster and lasted 13 minutes and 45 seconds.
Robson’s role in the local community
"Well, I think it’s quite important, within Craster, because we’re by far the largest employer"
Well, I think it’s quite important, within Craster, because we’re by far the largest employer in Craster- I think it’s about 18 in the factory we employ, so, and it brings in other effects because we’re well known, tourists come and there’s a knock on effect so throughout the whole.. and indeed Northumberland as well, I would imagine.
At one time we employed mostly, mostly women part time that came in and they used to split the herring by hand at one time but now it’s all done on machine and they used to come when their kids were a bit older and going to school or one thing, they would come in, because the hours suited them fine- they’d work from about eight o’clock in the morning to three o’clock in the afternoon. But now they’re all full time employees that we have- we’ve still got one or two part time for the shop in the summer. But, and of course the other thing is, they’ve all got to have basic food hygiene certificates and fork lift truck driver certificate, and health and safety and there’s lots of things that now is asked to be implemented that at one time you never even thought of.
Neil has 15 memories in the memorynet:
Childhood memories of the business- Changes at Robson’s
- Decline in the herring stocks and changes in the industry
- Customers
- The future
- Changes in the Craster fishing community
- Making kippers
- Robson’s role in the local community
Kippers being smoked- Staff at Robson's
- Women preparing herring
- Fish waiting to go to the smokehouse
- The final product
- Robson's Kippers
- The piers at Craster
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