Campaign to keep Boddingtons in Manchester successful
The campaign to keep Boddingtons beer in Manchester has been successful.
Boddingtons will continue to be brewed at the Strangeways Brewery in Manchester after Interbrew backed down on plans to shift production out of the city.
However, the keg packaging facility at Manchester will still close as planned next February, resulting in about 50 job losses.
Interbrew has now agreed to continue all brewing of Boddingtons in Manchester, saving about 17 jobs, but warned the move was "subject to operational effectiveness of the brewery and Boddingtons' future sales performance".
The company said it is also working with the unions to minimise enforced redundancies, offering alternatives such as relocation, early retirement and retraining.
The Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU) had objected to plans by Interbrew UK to split brewing between Manchester and breweries in Preston, Lancashire and Magor, South Wales.
The TGWU's campaign to keep Boddingtons true to its Manchester heritage received widespread support.
The union even raised the possibility of seeking EU protected geographical status for the beer, similar to that enjoyed by products such as champagne, Parma ham and Cornish clotted cream.
Stewart Gilliland, chief executive of Interbrew UK, said: "In the past few weeks, the people of Manchester and Boddingtons drinkers have clearly demonstrated how passionately they care about the brewery and the brand.
"Ultimately, what will secure the future of Boddingtons is a sustained growth in sales of the brand - the more people that drink Boddingtons, the greater the success of the brand and security of the brewery."
Related articles:
One step closer for Boddingtons brewery workers (31 October 2002)
The fight goes on to save Boddingtons brewery (21 October 2002)
Workers from Manchester's Boddingtons brewery take their fight to Europe (10 October 2002)
