Sophie Richardson, 48, of Charlton, said: "I think what has happened at Dyson is very bad for Malmesbury.

"It's not good for the town, all these people losing their jobs. I think people would stay and keep their jobs if they could.

"I do not have a Dyson. I don't think they work very well and I think they are very expensive for what they are."

Janet Fowler, 55, of Burton Hill, Malmesbury, said: "He (James Dyson) has let us down badly after all the fuss he made coming and then just to ship out is very, very bad.

"I think he is trying to get a feeling of what he can do. I think that he will ship out all of the manufacturing at some time. I wonder about his principles."

vWilliam Allbrook, 45, of Park Close, Malmesbury, said: "It is a shame. The town should have let him have the land to build at Filands. The town is going to lose out as a result. A lot of businesses in the town are going to be affected.

"Many people working at Dyson live in the town. The reason he left was not only the cost but because he could not expand his site anymore."

Vickie Clarke, 31, of Alexander Road, Malm-esbury, said: "I think it is a shame.

"A lot of people work up in Dyson and it is going to affect the economy of the area.

"James Dyson is a business-man and he has got to make profit how he can and he has got to look after his own business."

Peter Zweck, 73, of Tetbury, said: "I think that what has happened at Dyson is a very unfortunate loss of jobs. Shops and local businesses are obviously going to be to be affected by it.

"Dyson has been forced into it and I think it is a shame. I have got a Dyson vacuum cleaner I use it all the time and I am very pleased with it."

Val McAuley, 48, of Minety, said: "With the end of the vacuum manufacture and Lucent closing as well it is going to be quite devastating and shops are going to be affected.

"They have built the town up and provided employment. There is going to be a void left in the town because of this."