http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?storycode=65445

Scottish & Newcastle to close Dunston brewery

13 October, 2009

By Hamish Champ

Where there's Muck There's Brass

So Sam, where are YOU coming from on this one then? You're living in a fantasy world yourself. The brand is all? Rubbish. Iconic brands SHOULD be iconic because of what they ARE. Instead iconic brands are created because of what a bunch of slick suits in boardrooms decide their image should be, filtered through the advice of a bunch of art gradutates lounging around in an advertising agency.

Brand Brewers have no interest in brewing, authenticity, taste, tradition, civic or personal pride. Their only value is im making shed loads of cash, maximising profit, market share and living it large on the stock market. The tragedy is that once and authentic brand becomes an iconic brand it almost inevitably gets bought up by some faceless global agglomerate that makes unemotional decisions based purely on profitability. It's nothing to do with whether or not a product in itself is making a profit, it's all about making it make more profit by cutting costs, rationalising, standardising, centralising, laying off and so on.

This move is no surprise, it was inevitable - because this kind of modern nonsense began decades ago when 'imported' beers were begun to be brewed in the UK under license. What a load of total bollocks that is. 'Imported from nowhere brewed locally for the authentic taste we invented for your imagination'.

It's not been Newcastle Brown Ale since it stopped being brewed in Newcastle. FACT. At least Gateshead is only over the water.