Molson Coors – the brewing giant behind the likes of Carling, Cobra and Worthington’s bitter – has tried to offer assurances over the future of the National Brewery Centre (NBC) after announcing it was moving its HQ into the building.
The business is leaving its current home in Burton-upon-Trent High Street to make way for the regeneration of the town centre.
Management have said the move to the brewing museum site in Horninglow Street – which Molson Coors owns – means it will be able to keep 500 people in the town. The move will see the current National Brewery Centre close on October 31 and Molson Coors has said it wants to find a replacement home for the heritage site.
East Staffordshire Borough Council has said it was not aware of the NBC closure plans when it agreed to buy Molson Coors’ High Street offices as part of its town redevelopment plans.
It has welcomed the fact that the brewer is staying in the town, and said it was considering creating a new brewing museum – possibly in Burton’s Town House and Old Bass House buildings – which would be twice as big as the current brewing centre’s home.
Adam Firby, HR and facilities director at Molton Coors Beverage Company, said the business had been looking for a new home since agreeing to sell its current head office to support the town’s redevelopment.
He said: “Our priority was always to try and stay in the town centre if at all possible, which is why we explored the NBC as one of the few options available to us.
“Relocating to the NBC allows us to keep our around 500 employees who use our head office in the town centre and importantly brings us closer to our Burton Brewery.
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“While we’re very pleased to be able to remain in Burton town centre, we absolutely recognise that the closure of the NBC is not without challenges.
“We’re committed to working with Planning Solutions Limited [which manages the NBC], the National Brewing Heritage Trust and the council to manage the closure of the site as sensitively as possible and finding the right new home for our industry’s important heritage.
“As part of the redevelopment plans for the town we can see the great potential for the proposed heritage centre, and its possible expansion into Bass House, to preserve the valuable artefacts and archives that form such an important part of our local and national brewing heritage, keeping the collection in the heart of the town, right on the High Street, for generations to come.
“We are committed to protecting this important heritage and will continue to protect the collection until its new home can be established.
“We’ll continue to work with local stakeholders as we progress our plans to sensitively redevelop the National Brewery Centre site, preserving the historic buildings on the site, including the Heritage Brewery, while creating a great head office for our people.”
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