Brewing: History of ‘cultural icon’ to be explored

A new £1 million plus visitor centre has been built to tell the story of the “cultural icon” Tennent’s Lager.

Brewery bosses hope the new centre, in Glasgow’s east end, will become a popular destination for beer lovers.

Meanwhile tourist chiefs in the city hope the new site, which opens next month, will help Glasgow meet its goal of attracting one million extra visitors a year by 2023.

Tourists spend about £1 billion a year on food and drink Scotland.

Tennent’s bosses say the new visitor centre at their Wellpark Brewery will tell the history of brewing in the area from the 1500s through to the present day, including how founder Hugh Tennent first brewed the lager that bears his name in 1885.

Alan McGarrie, group brand director for Tennent’s Lager, said: “The Tennent’s story is at the heart of Glasgow’s history and with this significant company investment at our home at Wellpark we are bringing the story to life while visiting – bigger and better than we ever have before, as we showcase the brewery, the beer and the brand.

“With an ever-growing interest in the provenance story of beer, and subsequent rise in beer tourism, we want to give locals and visitors to the city a behind-the-scenes look at not just a working brewery but the history of Scotland’s No 1 beer and the cultural icon that is Tennent’s Lager.”

Jim Clarkson, of tourism body VisitScotland, hailed the new visitor centre as a “great fit for the tourism experience in the city”.

“It is an exciting time for Scottish brewing with the growing global demand for variety and quality of beer greater than ever,” he said.

“Scottish beer appeals to almost a quarter of visitors to Scotland and this investment demonstrates a real commitment to further promoting Scotland’s brewing heritage.”

Councillor David McDonald, depute leader of Glasgow City Council, said the story of Tennent’s Lager was “almost as old as the city itself ”.

He said: “Our focus is on showcasing Glasgow as an outstanding global city.”