BODDINGTONS is closing its Manchester brewery and moving 90 per cent of beer production outside the city.
Fifty-five jobs will go at the Strangeways site - where ale has been brewed since 1778 - because more and more people are drinking lager.
All non-cask ales will be brewed in Preston, South Wales and Glasgow.
Only Boddingtons cask ale - which accounts for just 10 per cent of business - is likely to remain in Manchester. Interbrew, the Belgian owners of Boddingtons, is in talks to switch production to Hyde's Brewery in Moss Side.
The Strangeways bombshell comes two years after the Manchester Evening News helped win a campaign to prevent a similar relocation plan.
Steve Cahillane, chief executive of Interbrew UK and Ireland, said they had tried everything to keep the site open but were fighting against a 14.5 per cent drop in sales of Boddingtons cask ales over the last two years, despite a '14m advertising blitz. "We gave it our best shot," he said today. "The staff have worked extremely hard but in the end it was just not logical to continue.
"It would have been easier for us to go through with the closure two years ago, having taken the bad publicity, but we thought this was something worth doing.
"We considered selling Boddingtons and the brewery to somebody else, but it is a brand we believe in and an important part of our business. We thought about moving other brands into the facility but there is over-capacity in the industry. Now we are working very hard to keep part of the brand in Manchester itself or certainly in its heartland."
Mr Cahillane said it was too early to say what would happen to the Strangeways site, with its chimney a familiar Manchester landmark.
"At the moment we are not focused on bricks and mortar," he said. "We are concentrating entirely on our staff." Workers at the brewery were given news at 7am today. The closure will take effect in February, pending consultation. Interbrew said it would provide counselling and try to relocate staff but could not make any promises.
There was a public outcry when Interbrew announced in 2002 it wanted to move production of all non-cask ale out of Manchester.
The M.E.N. led the campaign for a rethink, even joining union bosses to hand in a petition to the company's Belgian headquarters in Leuven. Interbrew have cut back on staff at Strangeways and introduced other efficiencies but the new relocation package is much the same as that proposed two years ago.
Hydes chief executive Chris Hopkins said: "We have been in discussions about producing Boddingtons cask, but that is subject to consultation with unions and employees at Strangeways."
Hydes already makes Trophy Bitter under licence from Interbrew. It has recently invested over '500,000 in production equipment.
Franny Joyce, regional organiser of the Transport and General Workers Union, who played a crucial role in the campaign two years ago, said today: "It's a total betrayal of not only the workforce, but their customers. It's ironic that, almost two years to the day since we had an agreement, they have gone back to square one.
"Frankly, they were shaken by the response of customers not just here, but around the world last time.
"It was a tremendous effort by all concerned, not least the unions and the Manchester Evening News. But all the management have done is gone away and regrouped."
He said the announcement that production would move in part to Hydes was simply a marketing ploy.
"It's a public damage-limitation exercise and it's a completely empty gesture" he said. "They want to pretend there will still be a Manchester link, but they're not remotely interested in that. It's all about corporate greed. I feel very bitter. It's like having a knife in the back. But we intend to fight and fight hard."
Mike Thompson, senior shop steward for the TGWU at the brewery, said "250 years of history should not go down the pan". He said: "This is still a viable concern."
Dave Woodward, 45, from Oldham, said he had four young children and would struggle to find employment elsewhere. He said: "We feel let down by the company because we don't think they have been promoting the Boddingtons brand well enough, they're more interested in Stella Artois.
The workers said there would be no production at the site today and many were leaving work early.
What do you think of the decision to close Boddingtons Brewery? Have your say.
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This was inevitable the day Interbrew bought Boddingtons. They are a business with a single aim, to make money. The land is valuable and they know they will make more money selling it and making the beer somewhere cheaper. It's that simple.
Boddingtons is and always will be the Cream of Manchester. You cant just pick it up and move it where you like, if thats the case you may as well just call it something else.
I hope that there is a campaign again this time round! Keep Boddingtons brewing where it belongs!!!!!
I wonder how many executive apartments will be built on the boddingtons site? Jobs for apartments seem to be the menu of the day This is just my humble view of what will happen to the historic brewery as with everything else in manchester swap real jobs for temp jobs ?? And get rid of industry but not replace it with worthwhile jobs.
"We gave it our best shot," Rubbbish, why is it Holts is on the up and up then ? The fact is, cask ales have been slowly removed from many pubs to be replaced by thar crap gassy stuff that requires no skill in delivery. Boddy's though once a fine ale simply does not work in freeflow. I remember also a definate taste change some years ago, it was never the same afterwords sadly.
I was excited to see Boddy's here in Las Palmas...sorry but it was bloody awful.
Its an outcry that we are moving the brewing elsewhere, the loyal workers are being treated very badly.
This is advertised as the CREAM OF MANCHESTER
Not Preston or othe places.
We should keep job local
Its a very sad day today for all my friends and collegues at Boddingtons Brewery, after all the hard work and effort everyone here has put in to keep Boddingtons brewed in Manchester.
Interbrew advertise themselves as the 'The Worlds Local Brewer' and now they are going to move production to Preston and Wales !!!
Doesn't make sense ? Not a good day for Manchester.
Once again Interbrew are trying to get rid of Boddingtons. They tried the same thing 2 years ago and the workforce and the public stopped them,let's hope they can do it again and keep this famous brewery open for another 200 hundred years.
I HAVE WORKED AT BODDINGTONS FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS AND FEEL TOTALLY LET DOWN BY THE PRESENT MANAGEMENT WHO FREELY ADMIT WE HAVE WORKED WONDERS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND EVEN PROMOTE THE BRAND AT CARNIVALS AND SUCH LIKE IN OUR SPARE TIME. IT MAKES ONE WONDER IF THE PRIZE FOR ARE OWNERS IS THE SALE OF THE LAND WHICH IS IN A PRIME LOCATION IN CENTRAL MANCHESTER
I AM APPALLED AT THE WAY BIG BUSINESS IS INCREASINGLY PUTTING PROFIT BEFORE THE WELFARE OF ITS WORKERS. GOOD LUCK TO THE BODDINGTONS STAFF WHO FACE LOOSING THEIR LIVELYHOOD JUST TO MAKE EVEN MORE MONEY FOR A BELGIUM CONGLOMMERATE
JUST HOW MUCH PROFIT DO THESE BREWERS NEED TO MAKE BEFORE THEY ARE HAPPY.YOU CAN'T BUY A PINT FOR MUCH LESS THAN B#2. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A GOVERNMENT ENQUIRY INTO WHERE ALL THE PROFITS ARE GOING PROBABLY OUT OF THE COUNTRY TO BELGIUM THE HOME OF BODDINGTONS OWNERS-INTERBREW
If Boddies trasted anything like it did some years ago they may not have seen such a decline in sales.
Boddingtons will not be Boddingtons if it is brewed anywhere else. If the workers have faith in their product then they should form a co-operative and Interbrew who have already stated that 'We gave it our best shot' should pull out, after all what do the Beligan's know about English beer? you would be lucky if you found a stagger in a barrelfull of the stuff they brew! Lets keep Boddies at Strangeways.
It's a sad day for what was once a brewer of high quality beers. Thanks to the folly of following the 'smoothflow' fad and failing to promote it's traditional core product, it reports a massive decline in real ale sales and the workers are out of a job. Perhaps Boddingtons should have paid heed to some true statistics; not that real ale is in terminal decline but rather that local brewers are springing up throughout the land and experiencing unprecedented degrees of success. Lets hope that the Boddingtons product benefits another brewer who is happy to stay local - and just maybe they will restore the lost character and flavour of the "Cream of Manchester".
Boddington's is no more a Manchester Ale these days than Guiness is Irish because of the cynical abosorption of so many traditonal breweries by huge global corporations. Interbrew has merged more recently with Inbev.and a few of these huge money makers own the majority of brands worldwide. To them these ales are just brands- they have no loyalty or interest in local connections or quality. Volume is all that concerns them . It is tragic to see the loss of all those jobs but the drinks industry isn't driven by ethics. Profit is all that matters. Note Inbev want to keep the brand name only and that says it all. Their American PR guy did a pretty transparent whitewash job on the news tonight.
My dad along with his work colleagues are all set to loose their jobs as the brewery shuts down. I agree with the comment about stella atois. What ever happened to the boddingtons adverts with the good slogen if this carried on prahaps their sales would have improved
My dad has worked at Boddington Brewery for 21 year and i know who many man hours and blood and sweat has gone to keep the Brewery open for the last two years! My Dad has given heart and soul to this company, as well as many other people who work there and all Interbrew has given them is a sharp knife in the back! The hard effort will continue and we will not go down without a fight!
Why are they comparing Boddingtons the band name to lager on a whole. 3/10 out is 30% of the nation which alot of people still drink ale, so i dont think that this can be classed as a good enough reason to close down Boddington.
Scottish Courage sold Theakstons back to its management because it was too small for their business. It's now thriving as an independent. Why doesn't Interbrew do the same with Boddies if they think the company is too small for their lager driven megabusiness?
I find this move by Interbrew disappointing. I'll continue to support the Boddington's brand, but I'm going to start avoiding their other brands. Perhaps someone can take over the Manchester brewery (and employees) and produce something else there?
This is a very sad day for Boddingtons and the hard-workers at the Strangeways brewery. It might be cynical to wonder if the potential resale value of the city-centre site contributed to this business decision, but it would be surprising if Interbrew didn't consider this. Let's hope that Boddingtons loyal customers can once again persuade Interbrew to consider Boddingtons as a viable Manchester business.
How long before they realise that cheaper production in Glasgow and Wales does not offset sales losses and they close down the brand as well as the institution that is still Strangeways Brewery? One has to ask if this is the plan, since so many brews now compete for a shrinking market. It is a smooth transition to reduce internal competition between brands.
I therefore have my doubts about the reasons behind this closure.
Maybe some of the government funds diverted away from rail scheme can be returned to save the brewery?
I worked at Boddingtons in the early 90s as a shift brewer, and what a great shame for all concerned. My sympathies to everyone who is affected by the closure, including names I remember who have submitted messages. This age of increased globalisation seems to steamroller everything in its path, taking with it some of our heritage every time. It's no comfort to know that in place of the brewery is likely to be a development of executive apartments or some other soulless building.
I sincerely hope that the campaign to save Boddingtons will continue. The Manchester Evening News campaign was superb, and for the sake of all who work there and the sake of Manchester I hope you will continue to support Boddingtons. Shame on Interbrew and the faceless but ruthless people who run it. Not a coincidence that Interbrew is not an English company!How many more firms have to go to the wall before the goverment do something to stop this corporate greed? They haven't thought about what they will do with the site? Don't make me laugh!! Boddingtons staff the people are still with you all, we can't let this happen and we should do all in our power to make sure Interbrew know they are going to have an even rougher time this time around. Maybe a boycott of their beloved Stella would be a good place to start? Not only in Manchester but further afield too?
I am so sad today! not for Interbrew but for Boddingtons Staff!! How they have been juggled around not knowing whether they have a job or not for the past five years!! I have worked there for nineteen years! previous years everyone was family!!!and i mean everyone M.D's, Execs etc. you could laugh and joke and talk family stuff and they would remember and love you and your'e family too!
But when the foriegn companies take over you sort of know your destiny!!
You are a number and not a family anymore! WHY COULD WE NOT KEEP THIS MANCUNIAN PRODUCT IN MANCHESTER!!! THEY CAME OVER AND STOLE THE IDENTITY OF A TOP MANCHESTER REAL ALE!!!
(How could we let that happen)!!
Boddingtons has to be brewed in Manchester - no question. I think this calls for a public boycott of Interbrew brands - namely Stella, Becks, Bass, Tennents Castlemaine and Murphys.