<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The town of Laura in South Australia's mid north faces an uncertain future after the iconic ice cream brand Golden North announced it will close its factory there.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It has been a fixture of the town since 1923, but will relocate production to a larger facility in Murray Bridge over the next year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The move is raising concerns about Laura's tourism trade and local economy. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-military-vulnerable-to-drone-attacks-warns-defence-experts/e1abd96c-7c19-4311-ad8b-2c28d5ed96b5"><strong><span>ADF ships, planes, subs vulnerable to simple drone attacks: experts</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You take out 70 jobs out of a little town like Laura, it's just putting a knife in its back," local business owner Frank Bernhardt said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Tourists come to Laura just because of Golden North, it's a big drawcard."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fellow resident and business owner Dan Corbett echoed these concerns, saying "I'm worried it might put a cloud over the town… might dampen the economy".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/laura-south-australia-golden-north-ice-cream/25ba0429-b456-40c6-b144-c73f313c840c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Golden North is a big part of the town's identity, with even the company saying it's hard to leave.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But it needs to, to strengthen the iconic SA brand.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-jerilderie-newell-highway-mark-akers-dad-seeks-answers/ca28b1b2-bf83-465d-a6a0-63e899300ad3"><strong><span>Devastated dad seeks answers after traveller found dead on side of rural highway</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are actually small victims of our success, in Laura, we have outgrown the site," managing director Dimitrios Kyriazis said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We need to continue to create scale, we need to continue to grow to survive," he added.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The new facility in Murray Bridge, which was once owned by Beston Global Food Company, will allow Golden North to increase production significantly, in part by bringing it closer to milk suppliers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The opportunities at Murray Bridge allow us to produce 5-6 times more ice cream than what we do now," factory manager Rick Willis said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The announcement has had a direct impact on the community, particularly on families employed by the factory. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've had quite a few students who have come in emotional and upset mainly because their parents are looking at finding other jobs," local teacher Brooke Skinner said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>This article was produced with the assistance of</span></em><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/technology/9express/16480c33-636a-461f-9c4f-d0e2522c722a"><em><span>9ExPress</span></em></a><em><span>.</span></em></div></div>