A rag man's just for fun here
The following 15 anagrams (a ragman's) are all pub names that can be found in the
Walsall branch area
• WASP FORCE LINE .................................................
• OH, BIN DOOR .................................................
• FRANK'S HEAVE TO .................................................
• A FIT NOUN .................................................
• DANA'S TIPPLE .................................................
• NO STAB MASTER .................................................
• MINE'S BLUNT .................................................
• HE SAFE, WHAT? .................................................
• RAW LIVER? NAY TA! .................................................
• NO CALF .................................................
• RAT FUR VENT .................................................
• WIN THE OIL .................................................
• RON LIED .................................................
• LOOK, A RAY! .................................................
• TENSE HURT .................................................
Last major UK brewer falls into foreign hands
CAMRA has condemned the recent announcement that Scottish and Newcastle (S&N) is to be acquired and carved up between global companies Heineken and Carlsberg, with the former taking control of the UK operations. S&N is, or was, the last remaining major brewer in British
hands and the deal is unlikely to show any benefits for consumers.
Future real interests?
There is major concern about the impact the takeover could have on the future of S&N’s real ale interests, including John Smith’s Cask Bitter brewed at the Company's Tadcaster brewery. S&N also contract brews Theakston’s Best Bitter there for the Masham independent brewer,
and since 2004 has owned a 30% stake in Scottish brewer Caledonian together with their Edinburgh brewery site and has a distribution agreement for Deuchar’s IPA. Assurances are being sought from the new owners that they will invest in their real ale brands and breweries and these enterprises will be preserved.
Former Courage brewery to close
Shortly after this news broke S&N dealt a further blow to the UK brewing industry with the announcement of the closure of the former (keg only) Courage brewery in Reading by 2010 with the potential loss of 362 jobs, saving the Company around £13M p.a., a move obviously planned before the Heineken/Carlsberg takeover. This leaves the brewing giant with just three UK plants; the above mentioned John Smith’s Tadcaster brewery, the only one producing real ale,
More takeover news
In more takeover news Punch Taverns, based in Burton-on-Trent, have announced a merger with M&B. The latter company recently made major losses of £274 million following the collapse of a £5 billion property deal last year. The move will create a pub owning giant with
some 10,500 pubs totally under their control, around 20% of the country's onlicensed premises. M&B employ around 1,000 people at their Birmingham headquarters which could be threatened by the potential cost savings created by the merger.the Royal Brewery in anchester and the Federation Brewery in Gateshead. The remaining Courage brands are brewed by
Wells & Young's in Bedford.
Competition review called for
It is expected that the takeover will be considered by the European Commission and CAMRA is calling for an in-depth review of competition and consumer choice in the EU beer market. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 pints drunk in the UK are brewed by four global brewers, Carlsberg, Coors, InBev, and S&N. The cask ale market accounts for 11% of all on trade beer volume, and these companies show a complete disregard for this market sector preferring to concentrate on promoting their global lager brands.