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Newcastle Brown Ale will no longer be brewed on Tyneside, its makers said today.
Manufacture of the famous Geordie brand will switch to Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) said.
It wants to close the Federation Brewery, Dunston, Gateshead, with the loss of 63 jobs by the middle of next year, because of falling beer sales in the UK.
The famous bottled beer, with its iconic blue star label, first went on sale in 1927 and was brewed next to St James's Park football ground in Newcastle until 2005.
The day after "Broon's" launch, it was said the local police appealed to the brewery to make it weaker because the cells were full of drunks.
The ale was also dubbed "dog" by drinkers, as they would make the excuse of going to "walk the dog" when nipping to the pub.
Many Geordies will remember with affection the sweet yeasty smell rolling across the city from the plant, which was demolished last year to make way for a science park.
The brand owners won Protected Geographical Indication status from the EU, meaning Newcastle Brown Ale had to be brewed in the city, but that lapsed with the shift a couple of miles across the River Tyne to Gateshead, in 2005.
Now production will move even further away - nearly 90 miles down the A1 - to the same brewery where John Smiths is produced.
The brand continued to be popular abroad, particularly in the US.
Paul Hoffman, S&N operations director, said: "Clearly this is a sad day, but the proposal to close Dunston is not a decision we have taken lightly.
"Nor is it a reflection on the employees at the site who have done an excellent job over the last few years in a very challenging market."
"Falling beer sales have created general over capacity in the UK brewing sector and rising input costs have put unprecedented pressure on our business.
"The proposals we are announcing today are designed to address these challenges and to ensure that we remain competitive in the future.
"The Dunston site is currently running at around 60% capacity and our ability to consolidate beer production onto other sites presents a strong case for closure.
"We will, of course, do all we can to mitigate the effects of the closure on the people affected over the coming months."
S&N said it carried out a detailed review of all its brewing sites and changes on other production sites, including Hereford, Tadcaster and Royal Brewery in Manchester were planned.
Reader views (5)
Brew it where ever you want, but dont change the magic.
- Borobear, bristol
Oh well, as leat it has not gone overseas to China or Haveabrewstan!
- Michael De Ferrari, London
If the PGI status has lapsed because the original producer chose to move, does that mean we could set up Newcastle Brown breweries anywhere, providing we make it clear we're not claiming to be S & N?
- Mdj E10, london uk
No worries, after all Stella Artois is "brewed in the UK" and "distibuted from Luton" (The old Whitbread brewery?)according to the bottle !
- Peter North, Sutton Surrey
By'eck.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
