YORK'S reputation as the chocolate city is melting away.

Tens of thousands of workers were once employed in confectionery. Perhaps four fifths of those jobs are now gone.

Cravens moved out of the city centre long ago. Nestl Rowntree now delivers more York-made chocolate to the world than ever before. But it too has mechanised, rationalised and become a less dominant force in the jobs market.

Tomorrow is a symbolic moment in this shift. The first wave of employees will leave Terry's, beginning the end of York's other chocolate giant.

It is a sad moment. A lot of lives have been tied up with the Clementhorpe factory. A piece of our heritage is disappearing along with jobs and livelihoods.

And the outsourcing of Terry's jobs to Eastern Europe elsewhere is a chilling reminder of our susceptibility to globalisation.

But the loss of the factory is less painful than it might have been. York's economy is strong. Many of the workers who leave today have found other jobs, albeit less well paid than those at Terry's. Others have set up their own businesses.

Today another local employer stands on the brink. More than 100 York and Knaresborough people work at Allders, the department store now in administration.

We hope a rescue package will save all those jobs. But if the worst happens, there is hope to be found from the new beginnings being forged by Terry's workers.

Updated: 11:00 Thursday, January 27, 2005