RENEWED CALLS have been made for Heineken to donate the Beamish and Crawford site in Cork to the local authority to develop as a tourist attraction.
The campaign to retain the site has gained momentum after the handover of Spike Island to Cork County Council for use as a tourist amenity, with heritage experts insisting the Beamish site has similar potential for attracting overseas visitors to the city.
Campaigners say the site could easily attract as many visitors as the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Founded in 1792, the brewery was established near Southgate Bridge in Cork, where beer was brewed since the 1500s. It ceased operation in May with the loss of 120 jobs.
The main building on the site with its mock Tudor facade is the subject of a preservation order by Cork City Council.
Heritage campaigners fear much of the old brewery may be lost if Heineken sells the 4.5-acre site to a commercial developer. Heineken has ruled out maintaining a micro brewery at the site.
Chairman of the National Conservation and Heritage Group Damien Cassidy said every effort must be made to retain the site and develop it as a tourist attraction. “I am extremely attracted to that site as a heritage site. I think it is the heart of Cork city. The Government have told us that the way out of this appalling recession is tourism.
“I was delighted at the Midleton train being reopened. I would be even more delighted if somebody would come and say the Beamish and Crawford site is being retained as a tourist centre.
“Heineken treated us extremely well and they were very nice and I was very impressed with the restoration work they had done on Murphy’s brewery, so I just fail to understand why they will not do the same thing on the Beamish and Crawford site. I hope there will be a change of mind.”
Mr Cassidy has written to Cork City Council about the “Save Beamish” campaign and the local authority has promised to keep in touch with the group and monitor developments.
When the Beamish site closed, Heineken donated the company’s archives – probably one of the most complete brewing archives in Ireland or England – to the city archives.
Following the closure of Beamish production of the drink was transferred to the Heineken Lady’s Well brewery in Cork.