Rovers return

The 3,000-strong workforce has been told its future is now separate from the rest of the firm's car operations, which are the subject of a bid by the Phoenix consortium, led by former Rover group chief executive John Towers.

Reports suggest BMW intends to start rebranding the works as its base for producing the new Mini.

Teams of painters are reported to have been put on standby to start transforming the Rover plant. The plant's switchboard answers as Plant Oxford and all communications with workers studiously avoid use of the Rover name.

Ironically, the month-long shutdown at Cowley coincided with soaring Rover sales and the best figures this year for the Oxford-built Rover 75 luxury saloon.

A major advertising campaign and series of cashback offers boosted sales of the 75 to a peak of 5,704 in April, more than the combined figure for the previous three months.

The sales figures were announced as the Cowley workers were praised as the most productive in Europe.

Research by Warwick Business School found a Rover 75 could be built to order in ten days, compared with the European average of 40 days or more. The latest letter to workers said the discussions between BMW Group and Phoenix about the disposal of Rover did not affect the Land Rover sale to Ford, nor the Cowley plant.

It added: "These new developments do not affect your planned return to work at Oxford."

Cowley's trade union leaders said plans for a meeting of all its members had to be postponed because of the withdrawal of the Alchemy bid and the continuing talks with Phoenix.

A letter to workers from convenor Tom White and deputy convenor Bernard Moss said BMW had told the unions that the future of Cowley was now separate from the rest of the Rover car operations, which are being discussed with Phoenix.

It said: "The Oxford plant is now under BMW and will produce the new Mini, whatever happens to Rover Group, either closure or a new buyer, this will not change."

A joint meeting of the plant's shop stewards has been called for tomorrow morning to discuss latest developments. Workers returned to the Cowley plant today after the five-week lay-off with mixed feelings about their futures.

Most were glad to be back at work some less so but the majority seemed concerned about the on-going uncertainty surrounding their jobs.

Robert Frith, a 48-year-old production worker, of Rose Hill, voiced the view of many.

"It's still all up in the air," he said. "You read in The Financial Times that Cowley could still be part of it, and then something different in the local press.

"I feel that the Mini will come here and, hopefully, one or two models after that."

David Carter, of Fern Hill Road, who has been employed at the plant for 34 years, said: "I'm coming back with optimism. I think we'll do well." His view was not shared by Dick Bennett, 49, of Risinghurst, a logistics worker.

"I'm no wiser than I was before, and definitely no more optimistic. If Towers wins, we won't have a car here."

Christopher Jenkins, 32, of Fern Hill Road, a cleaner who has continued to turn up each day during the break, said: As long as we've got our jobs, at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Roger Blane, a 47-year-old logistics worker, who has worked at Cowley for 29 years, said: I won't say I'm glad to be back, but it's nice to know we've still got a job.

Geoffrey Paull, of Oliver Road, Oxford, said he, too, was guardedly optimistic about the current talks. But he added: "If the 75 goes to Longbridge, we'll only have one model, which is bound to concern a lot of people."

Logistics worker Tom Ford, 54, of Barton, who has been at Cowley for 32 years, simply said: "I'm very pleased to be back. We should be here making cars end of story."