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Smithwick Experience closed forever.

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    #2
    Comerman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭Comerman


    Mr. Karate wrote: »
    Just read it on Independent.ie's website that the Smitchwick's Experience tour is closing forever. I'm glad I got to experience it when I did.

    Sadly the reality of the last year is starting to kick in. Many businesses that have been forced to close and remain closed for the duration of these lockdowns will not be in a position to re open.

    https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-news/kilkennys-award-winning-smithwicks-experience-to-close-its-doorspermanently-40373447.html
    I worked in the brewery when Diageo took over and everything was about money they didn't give a ****e about the history or the workers. It was all about the cost per litre and still is. This was touted as the reason for the cuts etc in Francis Abbey and when they got what they wanted it was abandoned https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2012/01/diageo-rethinks-super-brewery-scheme/


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    #3
    Mr. Karate
    Registered Users Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭Mr. Karate


    Comerman wrote: »
    I worked in the brewery when Diageo took over and everything was about money they didn't give a ****e about the history or the workers. It was all about the cost per litre and still is. This was touted as the reason for the cuts etc in Francis Abbey and when they got what they wanted it was abandoned https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2012/01/diageo-rethinks-super-brewery-scheme/

    Thanks Comerman. So its not completely due to the lockdown. Still a shame to see it go. Could have brought some life back into the town now with restrictions being lifted.


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    #4
    Comerman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭Comerman


    Mr. Karate wrote: »
    Thanks Comerman. So its not completely due to the lockdown. Still a shame to see it go. Could have brought some life back into the town now with restrictions being lifted.

    ****all to do with the lockdown they're losing money with the pubs etc being closed so it's a case of cutting their losses


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    #5
    Captain Havoc
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 11,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Captain Havoc


    I think it's sad as in twenty years it may appear as if there never was a brewery in Kilkenny. The brewery means a lot to my family, my father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all worked there. My grandfather worked there for 70 years, from 1921 until 1991. It really is sickening.

    https://ormondelanguagetours.com

    Walking Tours of Kilkenny in English, French or German.



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    #6
    Comerman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,391 ✭✭✭Comerman


    There's hope yet

    https://kclr96fm.com/smithwicks-experience-is-here-to-stay-claims-prominent-brewing-family-descendant/


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    #7
    Captain Havoc
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 11,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Captain Havoc


    Comerman wrote: »
    There's hope yet

    https://kclr96fm.com/smithwicks-experience-is-here-to-stay-claims-prominent-brewing-family-descendant/

    Very decent of the Smithwick family and I hope and would prefer if they took over the experience.

    https://ormondelanguagetours.com

    Walking Tours of Kilkenny in English, French or German.



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    #8
    Fred Daly
    Registered Users Posts: 628 ✭✭✭Fred Daly


    The brewery was a good employer in Kilkenny families were employed down through generations, my own family used to draw beer to places like Dingle, Westport, Kenmare etc from the brewery. Hopefully something will happen about the expierence staying opened the last twelve months have been a disaster some great employers in kilkenny Mahon Mcphilips , Smithwicks, Boot factory, worked away from Kilkenny for a couple of years you aiways knew you were back when you could get the smell of the brewery.


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    #9
    Hmm_Messiah
    Registered Users Posts: 1,964 ✭✭✭Hmm_Messiah


    I always found it curious however how popular it seemed and the great reviews etc, to visit a brewery experience … which was defunct. Not sure I'd call it ironic, but if I were visiting a country/city and told of an experience which did not include the thing itself, it would have zero appeal to me

    Sad to see anything close (if it does), or the long history of the brewery ( both positives and negatives) be lost time, not least for families connected with


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    #10
    Mr. Karate
    Registered Users Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭Mr. Karate


    Comerman wrote: »
    There's hope yet

    https://kclr96fm.com/smithwicks-experience-is-here-to-stay-claims-prominent-brewing-family-descendant/

    Great news. I hope the Smithwick family can keep it going.


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    #11
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,770 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Mr. Karate wrote: »
    Great news. I hope the Smithwick family can keep it going.

    Hope so had plans to make a visit to it when travel and that come back


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    #12
    Mr. Karate
    Registered Users Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭Mr. Karate


    PTH2009 wrote: »
    Hope so had plans to make a visit to it when travel and that come back

    Its a great experience. I've been meaning to do it again before everything happened.


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    #13
    PTH2009
    Registered Users Posts: 37,770 ✭✭✭✭PTH2009


    Mr. Karate wrote: »
    Its a great experience. I've been meaning to do it again before everything happened.

    I'm a Waterford man and tbh never heard of the tour but looking at clips etc it looks like a great time killer and of course you get the pint after

    Certainly easier to travel up to Kilkenny than to Dublin for the Guiness tour


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    #14
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    I was on it before. Nothing special. Same as every other brewery or distillery tour. Same speil as the rest of them. Won't be much of a loss really.


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    #15
    PintOfView
    Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭PintOfView


    TheBoyConor wrote: »
    I was on it before. Nothing special. Same as every other brewery or distillery tour. Same speil as the rest of them. Won't be much of a loss really.

    It sounds like you think all brewery tours should shut down, and just leave one open?

    I never got to see it, but I too think it's a shame it's gone,
    something like that enriches a town, and tells a little bit of its history,
    and gives visitors something else to do
    (some who may have never seen another brewery).


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    #16
    VelaSupernova
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭VelaSupernova


    Diageo already closed the Dundalk and Kilkenny breweries as well a half of the St. James Gate facility, all the blustering by local councillors, online polls and hand wringing isn’t going to make a jot of difference.

    As I understand it the Decision has been made on the back of a 15% decline in group operating profits according to the reports on their investor site. Yes it’s not ideal but Kilkenny needs to rely on itself and not mothership corporations who will cut you off at the first sign of trouble.


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    #17
    road_high
    Registered Users Posts: 19,386 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    All the lockdown loving freaks in KCLR, Kk people, local woke politicians all were screaming for their precious fcukin lockdowns- at the end of the day Diageo are a business- they exist to make money not provide photo ops and feel good for these virtue signalling idiots- they’ve been closed for most parts of a year with no revenues and greatly reduced numbers- lockdowns have a big price and this will be one of many to come.


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    #18
    Fred Daly
    Registered Users Posts: 628 ✭✭✭Fred Daly


    You do not have a clue what the brewery means to people in Kilkenny.


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    #19
    road_high
    Registered Users Posts: 19,386 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    Fred Daly wrote: »
    You do not have a clue what the brewery means to people in Kilkenny.

    Pretty much nothing tbh- it's a closed business from another era and time has moved on. Emotions don't pay the bills - if others disagree then I'm sure Diageo will offload it to them and they can run it to a contract.


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    #20
    Fred Daly
    Registered Users Posts: 628 ✭✭✭Fred Daly


    road_high wrote: »
    Pretty much nothing tbh- it's a closed business from another era and time has moved on. Emotions don't pay the bills - if others disagree then I'm sure Diageo will offload it to them and they can run it to a contract.

    Come back when you do have a clue.


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    #21
    Cerveza
    Closed Accounts Posts: 424 ✭✭Cerveza


    It’s a failed business. It’s as simple as this if you are not making money you won’t invest, keep business.


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    #22
    Fred Daly
    Registered Users Posts: 628 ✭✭✭Fred Daly


    Cerveza wrote: »
    It’s a failed business. It’s as simple as this if you are not making money you won’t invest, keep business.

    Was it a failed business , thought the excuse was that they could not cope with the covid restrictions going forward. Tomorrow is a big day day for our shops all over the country opening for the first time in five months wish ye all well.


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