Doom Bar brewer Sharp’s declares closure date as round 50 employees liable to redundancy

Beer giant Molson Coors Beverage Company has announced the proposal to close the Sharp’s Brewery site by the end of 2026 and said the closure could result in around 50 redundancies at the site.

The American owner announced that it is looking to close the brewery in Rock, Cornwall, and has now entered consultation with staff.

The brewery is known as the home of Doom Bar which has been a staple beer at pubs, restaurant and supermarkets up and down the country for years and is the UK’s best-selling cask ale, reports CornwallLive.

The proposal, which is subject to consultation, is to “reshape the UK&I business to unlock efficiencies and cost-savings to fuel the company’s long-term growth”.

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Molson Coors Beverage Company say the proposals could result in around 200 redundancies from across the Molson Coors UK&I business.

Since acquiring the Sharp’s Brewery site in 2011, Molson Coors has invested more than £20 million in the brewery to expand capacity, upgrade equipment, support innovation and strengthen the Sharp’s portfolio.

Molson Coors Beverage Company say the proposal to close the brewery comes only after exploring every alternative option to make the site financially sustainable in the long term.

Simon Kerry, Managing Director, UK & Ireland at MCBC, said: “The proposed closure of Sharp’s Brewery has not been an easy decision for us to make. It has been a significant part of our UK business for 15 years, with an exceptional and committed team who take such huge pride in their craft.

“We have invested significantly in the site and the Sharp’s brands over that time and have taken every step we can to try and avoid this outcome. However, the site is no longer financially sustainable as part of our national production network.

“Our focus now is on supporting our Rock-based colleagues in every way we can throughout this process.”

As the brewer consults on the proposals it remains committed to the Sharp’s brands. Molson Coors is in the process of exploring a number of alternative production routes, including the possibility of producing them in partnership.

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