Brewery quits Dreghorn site

Arran Brewery has abandoned plans for a new bottling plant and sake brewery on the mainland. The proposed site in a former primary school in Dreghorn near Irvine has been hit by a series of break-ins and vandalism. Now bosses say they have had enough and are to look for another site.

Arran Brewery is to abandon plans for its new bottling plant and sake brewery in Dreghorn, near Irvine, following a spate of breaks-ins and vandalism at the North Ayrshire site.

The most recent incident, which prompted the decision to relocate operations, comes as more than £5,000 of damage was done to an autoclave, which was to be used for sterilising equipment used in the onsite laboratory. Thieves tried to prise open the machine before making off with a supply of glasses.

Damage had been caused previously to a forklift truck and, despite CCTV monitoring the site 24 hours a day, attempts at gaining entry and damage to windows has been a source of constant concern. There have also been incidents of lead being stolen from the roof, which resulted in water damage inside the building.

The new bottling line, which has been ordered from Italy and is due to arrive next month, will now have to be reassigned. The associated jobs the brewery would have created will now need to be relocated to a new site.

Managing director Gerald Michaluk said: ‘These are thug-like attacks, using chisels and screwdrivers and smashing or kicking-in doors with no apparent fear of being observed by our CCTV cameras. The damage caused and items stolen is heart-breaking. I can only assume these idiots mistook the autoclave for a safe.’

Meanwhile, the brewery is launching a second round of crowdfunding to raise money for its expansion.

According to the brewery’s August 2015 accounts, it had sales growth of 37 per cent and made a recognised gain overall for the year of £628,000 on a turnover of just £946,000, with a trading loss of £69,000. However, this may be a hard act to follow in 2016.

The brewery has used its first-round of money to open an import company in the USA and Spain, to purchase sites for its continued expansion, and to complete the first phase of an upgrade of the brewery on Arran, as well as to continue the development of its new lager brewing facility, hotel and visitor centre on the banks of Loch Earn at St Fillans in Perthshire.

In addition, Arran’s Devils Dyke Brewery in Cambridgeshire now has its brewing licence and is set to begin production in earnest later this summer.

Mr Michaluk added: ‘The brewery is proud of its stand on using only natural ingredients and whole hops, not pellets or essences, and, of course, its provenance, with all its beers carrying the Arran brand being brewed on Arran, with its excellent brewing water. Its award-winning ales stand testament to the success of this strategy.’

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said enquiries in to the break-ins and vandalism were ongoing.