Anyone else hear that Boddingtons is to close?

Cannot believe it

Mark

no more wierd cow adverts?

See attached, its no all bad news.

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0100news/tm_objectid=14621914&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=boddingtons-switch-production- to-wales-name_page.html

Boddingtons switch production to Wales

Sep 9 2004

Joanne Clements, PA News


The famous Boddingtons brewery in Manchester is set to close it's doors with production moving to south Wales, Glasgow and Preston, Lancashire with the loss of 55 jobs, it emerged today.

Boddingtons and its Belgian parent company Interbrew confirmed that the Strangeways brewery in Manchester will cease production in February 2005.

Steve Cahillane, chief executive of Interbrew UK and Ireland, said: "To reach this position on Boddingtons Brewery has been extremely difficult.

"But in a highly competitive environment, it is just not sustainable to continue brewing keg ales at Boddingtons and then transport them to our other brewery sites for packaging."

Union leaders today attacked the decision to close the brewery as "corporate greed".

Workers were given the grim news at a briefing with managers this morning.

Brian Revell, national officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "This is all about the maximisation of profits and demonstrates that the claim to be the `world's local brewer' is little more than an advertising slogan devised to mislead the consumer.

"Local communities and a loyal workforce are the losers in this situation. The T&G will do everything it can to support its members to oppose a decision based on corporate greed."

Union officials complained that parent company Interbrew had promoted Boddingtons as the "cream of Manchester" during the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

A similar row erupted when the makers of another world-famous brand, Newcastle Brown Ale, announced they were pulling out of the city to make the drink overtly over the river in Gateshead.

Interbrew revealed that all the non-cask ales currently produced at Boddingtons would be transferred to breweries in Samlesbury, near Preston, Magor in south Wales, and Wellpark, Glasgow.

These non-cask ales account for 90% of the brewery's production output.

But they said they would be seeking to keep Boddingtons cask ale production in Manchester, with a preferred option of transferring it to Manchester-based Hydes Brewery.

Interbrew UK press officer Alan Cameron said: "People who drink real ale have more of an affinity with what they drink.

"Its pedigree means that it should be produced where it has always been produced.

"We have done a lot of research into this, and people who drink non-cask ale have less of an affinity with it."

Union leaders have pledged to repeat a campaign they launched two years ago when closure plans were first mentioned.

Franny Joyce, regional organiser for the Transport and General Workers' Union, speaking outside the brewery said: "People are shocked and angry. This is a complete betrayal of the workforce."

Mr Joyce said the company only reversed a decision to close the brewery two years ago because of the "blatant hypocrisy" of brewing the "Cream of Manchester" elsewhere.

"This is about corporate greed. It is not a loss making brewery," Mr Joyce added.

He said the firm's announcement that cask, or hand pumped, Boddintons would still be produced at a brewery in Moss Side in the city was a 'con' as it only accounts for 10% of output.

"It is just an empty gesture to kid the people of Manchester, and around the world. It is a con but it will not work.

"If they pull out of Manchester the brand will die.

"It won't be the Cream of Manchester, it will become the 'Sour grapes of South Wales'."

[Edited on 9-9-04 by mangogrooveworkshop]

http://www.bdmmusic.com/cow.htm

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Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
http://www.bdmmusic.com/cow.htm

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How can it be the cream of Manchester if it's not made there? Crazy idea caused by corporate greed.

At least the residents of Stangeways Hotel nextdoor won't get frustrated by the smell anymore

As long as I can still get it here in FL I'll be happy....

Yet another British Established company, bought by an American one and sold off. Another one gone to the wall...

Where/when will it end?