STAFF at the Basingstoke branch of the firm Eli Lilly have received assurances that they will not be affected by a major restructure at the pharmaceutical behemoth.

The firm has announced it is shutting its Erl Wood research and development centre, based 23 miles away in Bagshot, Surrey.

The company employs 800 people in the UK, down from 1,600 staff members in 2008.

In this latest round of cuts, it is estimated around 80 people could be made redundant.

However, the firm has said that the remaining staff there will be relocated to "a new location in the local area", whilst the commercial centre in Basingstoke does not form part of the review.

You can read more in this week's paper, including:

  • Conservative council lose their voting majority after by-election
  • High hopes for new cannabis oil cafe
  • Life made hell by drug users next door
  • John Buckley, MD of Carbon Footprint Ltd, speaks to the Gazette about carbon offsetting, the climate crisis and Harry and Meghan.
  • Three Basingstoke councillors need reminding to pay their council tax
  • Photos from OctoberFest and St Michael's Hospice's Moonlight Walk
  • Your letters
  • 8-page business supplement
  • 4 pages of Entertainment news
  • 6 pages of Sports
  • And much more!