Mulholland Criticises Carlsberg Response

4.45.00pm GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

Greg Mulholland MP for Leeds North West and Chair of the All Party Save the Pub Group has reacted to a letter he has received from Carlsberg in response to the letter from him and from Leeds CAMRA attacking the company for closing the brewery in Leeds and announcing their moving production of Tetley's to the Midlands.

Greg, supported by Leeds CAMRA, have calling for a boycott of Carlsberg following the announcement.

Commenting, Greg said;

"I am pleased that Carlsberg, who previously failed to engage with Leeds CAMRA and ignored my series of questions, have responded quickly to our letter.

"It is simply not true for Carlsberg to say they explored all options. They didn't, the made their minds up long ago that they didn't want to brew Tetley's anymore and that they would ask someone else to. They also failed to consider using some of the millions they will make from selling the brewery for development to set up a smaller Tetley's only brewery in the Leeds area. That is the reality of their commitment to Tetley's and to Leeds.

"Carlsberg, conscious of the anger that their betrayal of Tetley's and Leeds has caused, now have the audacity to suggest that our protest could affect jobs so we should not criticise them. This is ludicrous but also quite sinister and deeply hypocritical. It is Carlsberg who have decided to stop brewing Tetley's and making many people redundant. Due to their decision to end Tetley's 188 history as a Leeds beer, 145 will lose their jobs and no new jobs will be created by the moves."