One of Sheppey's largest employers has laid off 100 staff after being forced to close.

Regis Furniture Ltd, which was a base at New Road, Sheerness, announced on Monday that all its 100 staff have been made redundant.

The news came as a shock to workers as they were given less than an hour’s notice.

Staff at the firm, which manufactures office furniture and residential furnishings, were called into a meeting, where the decision was announced.

There had been speculation among staff that something was amiss after it was recently announced 21 people were going to be laid off because of lack of work.

Ricky March, 26, who had worked as a machine operator at Regis on and off for nine years, said: “People feel let down by it because they have come in and worked today (Monday) and the decision was made on Friday that we would have to cease trading.

“It’s been on the cards for a while now but I think they could have given us a bit more notice – a lot of people were really angry.

“It’s a shock and that is why there has been such a bad reaction.

“Some families will have been doubly affected as a lot of relations worked there.”

Sheerness West Labour councillor Stephen Worrall said: “I am very sorry to hear that we have lost another of our prestigious companies and I feel for the people who have lost their jobs.

“I have been made redundant twice in my life and it affects not just the individual but the families as well.

“I hope they can all find alternative employment and that another similar firm may be able to take over and carry on manufacturing.”

Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt said: "I'm very upset and really sorry to hear about Regis Furniture.

"They are such good people and good citizens from the Island, they had wonderful conditions of work there too."

Regis Furniture was owned by JF Nott, which has also had to be closed, resulting in a further 140 redundancies in Essex.

See this week's Times Guardian for full story.