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Diageo plans Guinness brewery overhaul
Diageo is reportedly planning to consolidate its beer operations at its world-famous St James’s Gate brewery in Dublin.
The world’s biggest drinks company is drawing up a masterplan to send to city council chiefs as part of a €100 million-plus investment that could see parts of the 55-acre site either sold or redeveloped.
According to The Irish Times, Diageo has already held discussions with Dublin City Council about drafting a masterplan for the brewery, which currently produces Guinness for the Irish, UK and US markets. The investment is designed to help secure the long-term future of the site.
A spokesman for Diageo confirmed to the paper that it had held “exploratory consultations†with Dublin City Council regarding the St James’s Gate site.
“However, the company has not made a final decision regarding investment. We will share this information with staff and the wider community when we are in a position to do so,†he added.
Diageo announced plans for a €650 million overhaul of its brewing activities in Ireland back in 2009, which involved closing breweries in Kilkenny and Dundalk by the end of 2012 and reducing capacity at St James’s Gate.
The proceeds from the sale of land at these sites was to be used to help fund a “super brewery†in Leixlip, Co Kildare, however the recession and its impact on beer sales – combined with the crash in the property market – meant the plans were put on ice.