DIAGEO is to delay the closure of its Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock for six months.

However, the drinks giant could face industrial action if redundancy deals for the 700 workers at Kilmarnock, 140 at the Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow and 30 at a bottling plant in Shieldhall are not improved.

Diageo today confirmed the Ayrshire site will be axed in May 2012.

A series of redundancies will now start in October next year, when a phased closure programme begins.

A spokesman said: "The bottling plant was due to close in 2011 but it won't now close until May 2012. However, it will be a phased closure. Compulsory redundancies will not now begin until October 2010."

The decision to push back the date of closure of the plant triggered a lukewarm response from union negotiator Billy Parker, of Unite.

He said: "It would be better if the plant was to stay open. But I suppose the older ones may be jumping for joy if only because they will remain in their jobs for an extra six months.

"Remember a lot of them realise there is little prospect of them working again, while the younger ones know they are unlikely to find another job with the same pay rate."

Diageo is also to stump up loyalty bonuses, and workers who remain at the plant until the closure will pocket an extra £7,500.

Bosses are now under pressure to significantly improve their proposed redundancy terms.

Workers were this morning staging a mass meeting in Kilmarnock and were expected to call for a strike ballot.

Calls for a ballot were also likely to be supported at another mass meeting in a Glasgow hotel later in the day, to be attended by workers from the Port Dundas distillery and bottling plant in Shieldhall.

The Port Dundas distillery is due to close next year. Diageo has yet to give a date but workers predict the shutdown will happen in March.