Ian Clarke A long-established Dereham printing firm will stay in the town even if permission is given for housing on its current site, its owner has stressed.LF Everett has been operating in Dereham since 1936 and been at the print works on Swaffham Hill since 1994.

Ian Clarke

A long-established Dereham printing firm will stay in the town even if permission is given for housing on its current site, its owner has stressed.

LF Everett has been operating in Dereham since 1936 and been at the printworks on Swaffham Hill since 1994.

Due to changes in printing technology, the business is looking for smaller premises and three years ago got outline permission to redevelop its site for housing, which would pave the way for a move to a new location.

Now, owner Bob Everett has applied for detailed permission from Breckland for 23 one and two- bedroom flats in a building at the Swaffham Road site, which is for sale.

But he said it was still unclear when Everetts would move and no new site had yet been found. However, he stressed the firm would stay in Dereham, saying: "We are likely to be here for the foreseeable future."

Mr Everett said a site on a local industrial estate was the most likely place to move to.

"Our current building is 3,000 sq ft and we need less than 2,000 sq ft. It needs a much cleaner environment rather than the printing works environment. Wherever we go it will be a continuance of the company and we will still be in Dereham. The business is probably doing as much in terms of turnover in real terms than ever."

At one point the company employed 18 staff but the number is now four.