Boddingtons supporters fail to save ancient brewery site

Related tags Boddingtons

Interbrew UK is steaming ahead with the closure of the 226-year old Boddingtons brewery, despite the crusade to keep it open. The drinks giant first...

Interbrew UK is steaming ahead with the closure of the 226-year old Boddingtons brewery, despite the crusade to keep it open.​ The drinks giant first announced closure of the Strangeways brewery in September, but a massive campaign involving the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), Manchester City Council and the Transport & General Workers Union (T&G) has been running to save it.

However, this week Interbrew confirmed the closure of the brewery, which employs 55 workers.

Mike Benner, chief executive of CAMRA, said: "Beer has been brewed at Strangeways since before the French Revolution. Interbrew UK has lost its head if it thinks the people of Manchester will treat Boddingtons brewed in Lancashire and Wales with the same fondness.

"Manchester's beer drinkers have made it clear to Interbrew UK what they think about the closure, but their views have been ignored. This viable brewery is to be lost forever in the name of corporate greed."

Mr Benner questioned the brewer's commitment to cask ale, speculating how wholehearted its support would be for cask Boddingtons, which will now be brewed at Hydes brewery in Manchester. "It would be all too convenient for Interbrew UK to fail to market the cask version and then axe it in the future, blaming lack of consumer demand," he said.

Manchester licensees said the closure of the brewery was a disgrace for the city.

Oliver Parkinson, licensee of the Church Inn in Failsworth, Manchester, said: "Boddingtons has served Manchester really well, it has such a strong identity with the city. It's a real shame for the Manchester area, with people losing their jobs as well."

Sharon Morris, licensee at the Ape & Apple, on the city's John Dalton Street, said: "Boddingtons is a Manchester-based brewery, and Manchester-based breweries should stay here.

"Our brewer, Joseph Holt, has been in Manchester since 1849 and we are proud of it."

T&G regional industrial organiser Franny Joyce added: "Thesupport from the people of Manchester has been terrific and we would like to thank them for the solidarity they have shown us. Bodding-tons doesn't deserve their support. As far as we're concerned, the 'B' in Boddingtons stands for betrayal."

Interbrew said 17 employees from the Strangeways brewery had already been found new jobs.

Related topics Beer

Property of the week

Follow us

Pub Trade Guides

View more