Brewery Plans go Down The Drain

Castletown Commissioners says plans to launch a community craft brewery in the town cannot go ahead as planned.

Chairman Jamie Horton says the board shares the disappointment of the business owners and the community.

The local authority said: ‘Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, including the recent and unexpected dissolution of Bottle Monkey Brew Co, the lease agreement for the fire station has been terminated.

‘After careful evaluation of the project’s progress, as outlined in the original project description submitted during the lease award & advice from our legal advisors, the Commissioners, during their Board meeting on Monday May 15, have concluded that, given the current circumstances, it would not be appropriate to offer a new lease to enable the continuation the project.’

Bottle Monkey Brew Co Ltd also recently announced the closure of its Douglas based stored and is now registered as having been dissolved on the island’s business registry.

In March, the company said: ‘Basically the Chief Monkey (me) made a mistake with some of the company admin and before you jump to conclusions nothing dodgy just a genuine administrative error, but unfortunately this has had some knock on effects. The limited company that holds the alcohol licence has been struck off which in turn means the alcohol licence is no longer valid. So we closed the doors straight away to make sure we are complying with licensing laws.’

However, it has not given an update on the Castletown plans since then.

Castletown Town Commissioners added that the town’s Fire Station site remains a ‘crucial strategic location for the town, and the Commissioners will seek input regarding its long term use’.

The partnership with Bottle Monkey was established following an invitation for expressions of interest in 2018.

Chairman Jamie Horton said: ‘Our Board members, who were truly excited about the prospect of reintroducing brewing to Castletown, share in the disappointment felt by both the business owners and the community. However, I want to emphasise that the Commissioners remain committed to fostering economic growth and enhancing facilities within our town.’