Just read about the sad state of Smile's affairs - the 'saved' brewery seems to have sacked a third of their staff and is selling its distribution arm to Coors and contracting its brewing out to Highgate/AstonManor, what exactly is 'saved' I'm not sure. cheers MikeMcG
see below . . .
from (long URL)
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But nine of the company's 25 staff were yesterday made redundant.
The firm had been operating at a loss and went into administration in November.
London-based administrators David Rubin & Co said that under the deal, the Smiles Brewery will be split to create a new Smiles pub company and separate brewing business. The pub company will own the brewery building in Colston Street and the Brewery Tap pub. It will also own The Cornubia, in Temple Street, bought by Smiles in May last year.
Administrators insist the deal means brewing will remain in Bristol at the Colston Yard site.
But last night, sacked workers raised doubts over the future of the city brewery.
Former dray man Stewart Robertson said: "When the brewery was taken over in December 2003, the new owners promised a bright future and said they wanted to promote the Smiles name and expand. Now they are changing the name and workers have been sacked.
"They are trying to tell people that it will be brewed in Bristol but the operation is moving to a brewery in Walsall."
A spokesman for David Rubin & Co said that of the nine people made redundant, four were from the brewery and five were employed at the company's distribution centre at Portbury.
The deal will also create a second company, which will take over the main brewery business.
It will continue to brew the Smiles brands, but under licence at Highgate Brewery in Walsall, which is owned by the Aston Manor Brewery Company.
The beer currently sold as Smiles Original will be renamed Smiles Blond. The distribution business is expected to be taken over by Coors. _______________________________________________________________________________