History's hold on brewery

BREWERY workers in Manchester are applying to the European Union to protect the Boddingtons beer brand in a desperate attempt to save their jobs and the plant.

They are pinning their hopes on the 'Champagne and Cheshire Cheese' solution to the decision by Interbrew to close the 226-year-old brewery and move it to Wales.

The EU has the power to give the brand geographical protection. For example, this type of protection means that only champagne produced in Champagne in France is entitled to use the name and Cheshire cheese can only be made in Cheshire.

The Transport & General Workers' Union hopes that by describing Boddingtons as 'The Cream of Manchester' - the line in a series of commercials - it will clearly link the brand to the city to make the transfer of brewing impossible.

Franny Joyce, the union's regional industrial organiser, said a campaign supporter who specialises in intellectual property rights had suggested the idea. Previously it was thought only the brand owners could apply, but the workers have been advised otherwise.

Joyce added: 'I dare the company to deny they have a link with 200 years of brewing heritage in this city.'