Editing Lowestoft (section)

===Modern economy===
[[File:Lowestoft 10-4-2004.jpg|thumb|Windfarm construction in Lowestoft harbour|alt=Image of harbour with windfarm construction]]
Major local employers include [[Birds Eye]] frozen foods, with 700 workers.<ref name="aldous"/><ref name="bbc04feb10">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8498000/8498194.stm Farmers hit as Birds Eye, Lowestoft loses peas contract], BBC news website, 4 February 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref><ref name="bbc05oct10">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11477579 East Anglian pea farmers sign frozen food deal], BBC news website, 5 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> This has been located in the town for over 60 years.<ref name="bbc07nov03">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/3250011.stm Jobs safe at Birds Eye factory], BBC news website, 7 November 2003. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> The food-processing company Wessex Foods closed its Lowestoft plant in 2010 after a fire destroyed the factory and it failed to find alternative premises.<ref name="bbc29oct10">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-11653120 Staff at fire-hit burger factory in Lowestoft lose jobs], BBC news website, 29 October 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

Several other employers have shed labour in recent years. The [[Sanyo]] plant in the town closed down in 2009 with a loss of 60 jobs,<ref name="bbc12jan09">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7825112.stm Sanyo to shut down monitor plant], BBC news website, 1 December 2009. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> having once employed 800.<ref name="bbc17mar10">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8571847.stm Sanyo TV monitor factory site in Lowestoft up for sale], BBC news website, 17 March 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> The timber company [[Jeld-Wen]] closed its factory in the town in 2010.<ref name="bbc03dec09"/>

From the mid-1960s to the late 1990s, the [[Petroleum industry|oil and gas industry]] provided significant employment in the area.<ref name="offshore">[http://www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/offshore-industry-timeline.pdf Offshore industry timeline], Great Yarmouth Council. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> For many years the [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]] Southern Operations base on the north shore of [[Port of Lowestoft|Lowestoft Harbour]] was town's largest employer.<ref name="offshore"/> A decision to close the Shell base was finally made in 2003.<ref name="bbcshell">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2909843.stm Talks over Shell shutdown], BBC news website, 3 April 2003. Retrieved 14 June 2009.</ref> Oil and gas is still a major industry.<ref name="yartoft">[http://www.shapingnorfolksfuture.org.uk/content/economic-intelligence-members/March%20Yartoft.pdf Great Yarmouth and Waveney March 2010] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323002733/http://www.shapingnorfolksfuture.org.uk/content/economic-intelligence-members/March%20Yartoft.pdf |date=23 March 2012}} ''Shaping Norfolk's Future'', March 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref><ref name="gymi">[http://www.gymi.co.uk/news/info.php?refnum=7&startnum=70 International acclaim for innovation in oil and gas] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323002733/http://www.gymi.co.uk/news/info.php?refnum=7&startnum=70 |date=23 March 2012}}, Great Yarmouth marketing initiative, 17 May 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref><ref name="abpoil">[http://www.abports.co.uk/news2000629.htm Lowestoft delivers gas platform], associated British Ports, 11 May 2000. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

The town has made efforts to develop as a centre for [[renewable energy]] in the east of England.<ref name=scctran11>[http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/assets/suffolk.gov.uk/Environment%20and%20Transport/Planning/2011-06-29%20Lowestoft%20Transport%20Strategy.pdf Lowestoft transport strategy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327221318/http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/assets/suffolk.gov.uk/Environment%20and%20Transport/Planning/2011-06-29%20Lowestoft%20Transport%20Strategy.pdf |date=27 March 2014}}, Suffolk County Council, 29 June 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2013.</ref><ref name="bbc25mar05">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/4380747.stm Plan for £6m green energy centre], BBC news website, 25 March 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref> The non-profit Orbis Energy centre has been set up to draw business in the green-energy sector and features [[Passive solar building design|solar thermal heating]].<ref name="bbc26feb07">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6398857.stm Meeting on green energy in East], BBC news website, 26 February 2007. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref><ref name="bbc26dec07">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7159542.stm Low carbon work boosted by £80m], BBC news website, 26 December 2007. Retrieved 2011-04-21.</ref><ref name="sworksorbis">[https://web.archive.org/web/20120322232541/http://www.suffolkworks.co.uk/suffolk.asp?slevel=0z219z403&parent_id=403 Orbis Energy], Suffolk works. Retrieved 30 April 2011.</ref><ref name=orbis>[http://www.orbisenergy.net/ OrbisEnergy Website]. Retrieved 20 May 2009.</ref> In April 2009, [[Associated British Ports]] announced that the harbour is to become the operations centre for the 500 MW [[Greater Gabbard wind farm]], which when completed will be the world's largest [[Offshore wind power|offshore windfarm]]. The turbines will be located {{convert|15|mi|km|0}} off the Suffolk coast and the Outer Harbour will be used to house the necessary operational support facilities. Other developments in the renewable energy sector include a prototype [[Tidal power|tidal energy]] generator being produced by local company 4NRG<ref name="bbc02feb11">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-12350707 Suffolk firm's wave energy machine gets backing] BBC news website, 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-21.</ref> and [[wave power]] systems developed by Trident Energy.<ref name="bbc02nov10">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-11675222 Wave power machine tested on land], BBC news website, 10 November 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2011.</ref>

Hoseasons (now part of [[Awaze]]), a specialist in self-catering UK holidays, is also a large employment provider.<ref>[http://rainbowsaversangliacu.onesuffolk.net/contact-us/ Your Credit Union] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207035023/http://rainbowsaversangliacu.onesuffolk.net/contact-us/ |date=7 February 2015}} Rainbow Saver Anglia Credit Union (retrieved 6 February 2015)</ref>