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Tours of one of Australia's oldest breweries — which were set to end in a few days — have been saved at the 11th hour after James Boag's Brewery received funding from the Tasmanian government to keep them running.
Key points:
- Launceston's Boag's Brewery will receive $1 million in funding from the Tasmanian government to keep its visitor centre open
- Last week, owner Lion Australia announced it would be shutting down the centre and brewery tours
- The closure would have meant the loss of 12 jobs
The Tasmanian government will provide $1 million to keep the Launceston brewery's visitor centre open.
As part of the deal, any Tasmanian with a current driver's licence can get free tours for the next 12 months.
Lion Australia, which owns Boag's, announced last week that it would close the visitor centre, citing declining beer consumption, rising costs and the impact of COVID-19 as the reasons why.
Boag's Brewery director Nathan Calman said the government funding announcement was a win-win for the Launceston community.
"The proposal to close the visitor centre and tours was not put forward lightly, but as a response to the significant cost pressures we are facing across our business," Mr Calman said.
"The response — an outpouring of immense passion for the continuation of our brewery tours and visitor centre experience — reminded us of just how integral Boag's is to Launceston."
Mr Calman said there had been no expectation that the government would provide support to keep the tours operating.
"This package will help us continue to provide a great tour experience at the Boag's visitor centre, while we work with the government and other stakeholders to address some of the long-term cost pressures our manufacturing business continues to face," he said.