Demands for rethink as Newcastle Brown Ale set for move to Yorkshire

Oct 14 2009 by Andrew Hebden and William Green, The Journal

THE decision to move production of iconic Newcastle Brown Ale from Tyneside to Yorkshire was described last night as “totally unacceptable”.

Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) sparked fury yesterday when it announced plans to close its brewery in Dunston, Gateshead next year with the loss of 63 jobs, signaling an end to centuries of large-scale brewing on Tyneside.

Union leaders and politicians vowed to do all they can to make S&N, which is owned by Dutch brewing giant Heineken, reverse the controversial decision.

Under the plans announced to staff yesterday morning, production of Newcastle Brown Ale will move to the firm’s John Smith’s plant in Tadcaster, West Yorkshire. The Ale – nicknamed Dog – has been brewed in Dunston since 2005 when the former Tyne brewery closed.

Following that move, S&N successfully had a European Protected Geographical Indication Order, which meant Brown Ale could only be brewed in Newcastle, revoked. But at the time the firm insisted: “This isn’t the trigger to move abroad. We chose to keep Newcastle Brown in the North East and that will stay.”

S&N said yesterday it had hoped the amalgamation of the two sites would provide a “sustainable and long-term future for Dunston” but it blamed a “significant downturn in the economy and the UK beer market” for the U-turn. A spokesman said the site’s future had been subject to review over recent months.

The firm also confirmed it would be dropping the S&N name from its brewing operations in November, renaming the business Heineken UK. S&N will live on only as a pub leasing company.

Paul Hoffman, S&N operations director, said it was a “sad day” but insisted the decision had “not been taken lightly”.