AN era comes to an end today with the closure of one of the most famous names in the history of confectionery.

Tears will be inevitable as the final shift clocks off at Terry's of York, ending a local institution that can trace its history back almost 250 years.

The treats the factory has produced have satisfied the sweet-toothed for generations and products such as Chocolate Orange and All Gold have become household names.

At one time, the factory, overlooking the city's racecourse, was one of the area's biggest employers, but when the closure was first announced, in April of last year, it employed 316 full-time and 150 seasonal workers.

During the past 18 months their numbers have been whittled down, although about 75 per cent have found alternate employment or taken early retirement.

During that period, the US owner, Kraft General Foods, has gradually transferred manufacturing to other factories in western and central Europe - specifically Sweden, Belgium, Poland and Slovakia.

Plant director John Pollock said yesterday: "We all feel a great sadness at the closure of a facility with such a long-standing role in the local community.

"Our employees, who have demonstrated huge commitment to the Terry's name over the years, have worked extremely hard to ensure that the transfer of processes to our alternative sites has gone smoothly."

He added: "I would like to extend my thanks for their hard work and professionalism during this time.

"I am pleased that such a high number of our team have been able to take advantage of the support on offer and have found alternative employment."

Kraft insists that the decision to close the Bishopthorpe Road plant was based on a combination of factors, including a decline in export volumes.

And together with the size and configuration of the site, they resulted in a cost structure that was unsustainable.

When the closure was first announced, it hit the local community like a body blow and was even raised in Parliament.

But even a 4,700-signature petition - signed by people all over the world - and a union proposal to move to a smaller, more cost- effective site in the city, all failed to sway Kraft bosses.

Local council boss Steve Galloway said the closure was a cause of overwhelming sadness for the city as a whole. But he added: "As one door closes, another opens. The site provides us with a much-needed commercial development site in the city - and we believe we can provide many more jobs there than Terry's did in its later years."

The factory, as a structure, will not be lost. Earlier this year the Department of Culture Media and Sport gave grade II-listed status to five of the older buildings, including the distinctive clock tower that is so familiar to countless racing fans.

Possible uses have been suggested, from hotels to flats, but the most recent could see them turned into multi-million pound stables.

Doncaster Bloodstock Sales have looked at the Terry's site as a possible base for its £35m operation should plans for a 500- stable centre at Doncaster racecourse fall through.

* Articles from the Terry's of York factory are being preserved to go on display at the city's Castle Museum as a memorial to the part the factory played in the city's industrial heritage.