Diageo plan to cut 700 Johnnie Walker jobs in Kilmarnock sparks huge public protest

Thousands of people took to the streets of Kilmarnock, Scotland, yesterday to protest about drinks maker Diageo’s proposed job cuts.

The march and rally, organsised by East Ayrshire Council and supported by the Scottish government, marked “another step forward” in the battle to keep the drinks plant open in the town, according to first minister Alex Salmond, reported the BBC.

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Kilmarnock has been linked with whisky label Johnnie Walker since 1820, but the drinks giant intends to move bottling out of the town, with the loss of 700 jobs.

Diageo has said the redundancies, intended to save £20m a year, would be offset by the creation of 400 jobs at its packaging plant in Fife.