Last Pint Brewed At Bass
END OF AN ERA AS PRODUCTION STOPS EARLY AT BREWERY
The lay-offs at Bass Ireland take place in January next and it had been thought that the brewing of beer would continue at least until the turn of the year. But in a move that surprised staff at the Glen Road brewery, we can reveal that the last vat of beer was brewed last Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on over a century of brewing tradition at the Glen Road.
The halting of beer production means that the brewery now owned by industry giants Interbrew is solely a storage and distribution facility.
85 workers will lose their jobs in the new year in a swingeing series of job cuts that spelt the end of the brewery as a production facility. Some 200 workers will continue working at the Glen Road building mainly in distribution and administration posts.
One worker said the ending of brewing at the Glen Road earlier than expected was another example of Interbrew "doing what it likes and never mind the rest.
"We had thought that we would go on brewing here maybe up to Christmas and beyond, but then last Tuesday the brewing stopped and that was that," he said.
"We're at a bit of a loose end in here, to be honest. It's a bit like Friday afternoon every day we're just counting the days in to January now. Not many of us have been able to find other jobs, a few have but most haven't.
"At least when we were turning beer out there was something to put your day in. But now that's stopped. That's Interbrew for you doing what it likes and never mind the rest."
Journalist:: Staff Reporter