21.02.03
Cheers! Redruth Brewery celebrates new broadband milestone

The second oldest brewery in the country today marked a major milestone for Cornwall's Objective One funded pioneering broadband project actnow.

Redruth Brewery - established in 1742, which sells ales and lagers all over the UK and as far afield as South East Asia - is the 1000th Cornish business to take delivery of high speed broadband communications.

Head brewer George Roe said: "Brewing is generally perceived as a traditional industry, but it is also an industry using the latest techniques and technology.

"Broadband communications were a natural progression for us. We need fast, reliable communications to work with our customers and contacts across the UK and as far afield as Hong Kong. Many of the major supermarket groups sell our products all over the UK.

"E-mail, with its ability to carry substantial documents and graphics, has become the principal method of communicating with all these different people and organisations. It is just so quick and convenient.

"I am sure broadband will play a key role in the future success of our business - as it certainly will for many other Cornish businesses. For this reason, the actnow project is to be commended for its tremendous work in raising awareness of broadband in the county.”

Redruth Brewery, employing 25 people at its site in Redruth, annually produces about 600,000 bottles of its own brands of ales and lagers, including the very popular traditional brew Cornish Rebellion. It also manufactures more than two and a half million cans of beer and lager every year, which are sold by the major supermarket companies under their own brand names. The brewery was established in 1742 when Redruth was the world centre for copper and tin mining with thousands of miners living in the area.

Nigel Ashcroft, actnow project director, said: "The broadband story in Cornwall continues to go from strength to strength. Redruth Brewery is actually very close to achieving two important milestones. It is the 1000th Cornish business customer to take delivery of broadband and, when you include households, it is very close to being the 3000th broadband customer overall in Cornwall. We surpassed the 3,000 mark only a few days ago - and our activities over the past couple of weeks have resulted in orders being received for at least a further 300 new connections.”

Michael Dunn, West of England regional manager for BT, one of the major partners in actnow, said: "It is wonderful to see a long established company with such strong traditions using the latest broadband technology to make it more efficient and competitive, nationally and internationally.

"With this latest initiative, Redruth Brewery is pointing the way ahead for thousands of businesses.”

Editor's notes:

Redruth Brewery
Redruth Brewery in Redruth was founded by William Davey in 1742 when the town was the centre of the world copper and tin mining industry. Demand for the company's bottled ales and lagers is growing at more than ten per cent a year. About 20 per cent of the bottled products are exported to Hong Kong and other parts of South East Asia.

actnow
The actnow programme is a demand-led initiative to encourage businesses in Cornwall to gain the support they need to move into the new broadband economy. Including about £5.25 million from Objective One, it is one of the largest private and public sector partnerships in Cornwall since the county was granted Objective One status by the European Union in 2000. Partners include BT, the Objective One Partnership Office, Cornwall Enterprise, the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Cornwall County Council, Business Link Devon & Cornwall and Cornwall College.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) broadband transforms the pair of copper wires between a local telephone exchange and the customer's telephone socket into a high speed digital line.

For further information contact Kathryn Roberts of actnow on 01209 722850, or Jason Mann, of BT on 0845 7262624.

Jason Clark
Communications Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Tel: 01872 241379
Fax: 01872 241388

jason@dclark.co.uk

back to top