Pressure mounts to keep Newcastle Brown Ale on Tyneside

Oct 15 2009 The Journal

BREWERY bosses are coming under pressure from Parliament to keep the production of Newcastle Brown Ale on Tyneside.

Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) has sparked fury with its plans to close its brewery in Dunston, Gateshead, next year with the loss of 63 jobs.

The company, owned by Dutch brewing giant Heineken, wants to switch production to its John Smith’s plant in Tadcaster, West Yorkshire.

Newcastle Brown Ale has been brewed in Dunston for the past four years after the former Tyne brewery in Newcastle shut.

That move led to the ending of a European Protected Geographical Indication Order, which meant Brown Ale could only be brewed in Newcastle – although at the time the firm insisted production would stay in the North East.

But S&N has immediately faced calls to rethink its decision on Tuesday, with MPs weighing in with a Commons motion calling for Newcastle Brown Ale to stay on Tyneside.

Tyne Bridge’s David Clelland has tabled the motion, which already has the backing of Blaydon MP Dave Anderson and Newcastle Central’s Jim Cousins.