Fire-hit factories demolished

The gutted premises of Symphony Candles and the Global Marketing Group have been torn down as investigators from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service continue their search for the cause of the fire.

Fire crews from across the county battled the blaze in the candle factory and its neighbouring unit for more than five hours on June 6.

Now staff from both companies are calling time on their sites at the Blandford Heights Industrial Estate and looking to the future.

Chris Redsell, the owner of Symphony Candles, told the Daily Echo his business is for sale, and has attracted interest from a number of buyers.

"The building is not going to go back up for the foreseeable future. At the moment, there are a couple of companies who are interested in the processes we have developed," said Mr Redsell.

The firm's candle-making machinery would be rebuilt for use in the factories of one of three firms currently interested in a buy-out, he added.

A return to his former calling as a musician would be his next professional engagement, said Mr Redsell, with coaching and performing the most likely avenues.

A warehouse next door to Mr Redsell's factory, belonging to the Global Marketing Group, is also unlikely to be rebuilt.

Richard Harrell told the Daily Echo that staff at GMG, which supplies theatrical merchandise to hit West End shows including Mamma Mia, expect to remain in their new premises near Ringwood.

"We worked temporarily from the homes of a number of employees and last month moved into new premises," said Mr Harrell.

The customer services worker added that while the company had considered rebuilding its gutted factory, expansion had seen the firm "outgrow" its Blandford premises.

A "business as usual" footing had been retained by the company in the immediate aftermath of the fire, said Mr Harrell, thanks to the generosity of the firm's insurers who covered the extra cost of flying in emergency supplies.