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The management of Robert Cain will meet with CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and representatives from Liverpool City Council this week in an attempt to...

The management of Robert Cain will meet with CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and representatives from Liverpool City Council this week in an attempt to save the Mersey-based brewer.

Liverpool's last remaining brewing business had been put up for sale by its owners, Bryggerigruppen, Denmark's second largest beer maker after Carlsberg.

The group blamed poor financial performance and tough competition in the British beer market for its decision and said that it would focus its attention on the Baltic states and eastern Europe.

Cain, which is best known for its award winning Christmas ale and a series of other special brews, is expected to be valued at more than £20m.

But the disposal comes at a time when independent brewers are struggling to find retail outlets since the distribution is increasingly dominated by the major brewers.

Supporters fear for the future of the company's brands as there are few obvious buyers for the business. It is feared the Robert Cain assets will be sold-off and the brewer will be forced to close.

Those attending the crisis meeting include Cain's managing director Ole Timm and CAMRA's national chairman Dave Goodwin.

From 1985 to 1990 the brewery was owned by Boddingtons, the brewing group, until it sold its beer business to Whitbread, and Cain was earmarked for closure.

It was saved by the independent GB Brewers, and bought by the Danes a year later. In recent years it has attempted to re-establish its pub estate and now owns nine outlets around Merseyside.

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