Sadness as Tetley’s brewery workers sign off for last time after 189 years

Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland, who went to Tetley’s yesterday to bid a final farewell said: “Carlsberg UK’s decision to close Tetley’s brewery is both very sad and unnecessary.

“The area’s wonderful independent brewers are showing that it is perfectly possible to make great beer here in Leeds.”

The chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale in Leeds, John Rowe, said it was “an incredibly sad day for the city”.

Carlsberg said 94 of its staff left the business yesterday, making a total of 112 since the closure was announced in 2008. There will be 114 employees who continue working at the site in roles such as telesales.

All Tetley’s cask beer will be brewed at the Marston’s-owned Banks’s brewery in Wolverhampton, while Tetley’s Smoothflow has been moved to the Molson Coors brewery in Tadcaster and dark ales, such as Tetley’s Mild, have been outsourced to Cameron’s Brewery in Hartlepool.

A Carlsberg UK spokesman said: “This is obviously a very sad day for the city of Leeds but also for Carlsberg UK. The decision was not one that was taken lightly.”