Beamish

:)Red FM News reports that the National Conservation Group were delighted with their meeting with Heineken today as the company confirmed that “an appropriate and sustainable use” would be found for the brewery when it ceases production in March

That sounds a little like what happened to the old Brains site in Cardiff, which would have been a similar case of a traditional city centre brewery disappearing. Although they did incorporate apartments into the scheme. Mind you, with the noise from the night-life venues, I’m amazed anyone would want to live in them.

Actually, it could be an opportunity to move the municipal museum from its current out-of-the-way and too small site at FitzGerald’s Park.

Beamish and Crawford site to be sold in May by Heineken. I wonder will (or have) the efforts of those people who lobbied it to be kept as a heritage area / tourist site pay off? the city council certainly dont seem to have the funds to buy it anyway. If they did I would be wondering why those funds werent invested in an integrated transport system.

I must say that i am suprised at the stance that Heineken is taking on the Beamish & Crawford site.
Having UCC on board with the National Conservation Group to set up a National research centre on site should be a win win suitation for all?

http://www.corkindependent.com/local-news/local-news/heineken-rule-out-micro%11brewery/

@Baseline Survey wrote:

I used to live around the corner from the Beamish & Crawford brewery for a number of years. When the wind came from the east, the smell from the brewery would be almost unbearable.

I grew up next to Murphy’s Brewery. That smell needs getting used to but certainly isn’t unpleasant.

@Baseline Survey wrote:

Cork’s population has a very high incidence of candida, this is due to the high yeast content in the air from our city breweries and distilleries coupled with the fact that the city is surrounded by hills.

This is hilarious. Yeasts are naturally occurring. Even if you swam in the stuff every day it wouldn’t increase the rates of candida.

@Baseline Survey wrote:

The gigantic silos standing sentry at the city’s historical south gate are an absolute eye sore.

These are no more an eyesore than the silos at the south docks. They’re a part of Cork’s industrial heritage. Any replacement apartments would be much more obtrusive to the views of St. Finbarre’s.

@Baseline Survey wrote:

The water colour in the river Lee is very different downstream of the brewery than it is upstream, the reader can draw their own conclusions here.

This is just not true.

@Baseline Survey wrote:

With sensitivity shown to the more historical components of the brewery, for all of the above reasons I would like to see redevelopment here.

Now, this i can agree with – but with a small micro-brewery in place it could please everyone.

Absolutely, the silos arrived in the early 90’s as far as I’m aware. Although an integral part of the brewing history, there’s no argument for keeping them. I would question whether UCC has the cash to be splashing round on such a venture at the moment, but It would certainly make sense.

This site is frequented by people who think they’re all really insightful, but are in fact just good old-fashioned Irish curmudgeons with longer words. Nothing whatsoever that gets said here, or gets built in Ireland, is free from criticism. It’s a serious national problem.

well, lets get back to the point and when all the local councillors call to your door, ask them what they propose to do with the Beamish site and why they havent been knocking at heneikens door morning noon and night to figure out whats happening and have they engaged Cork Chamber of Commerce to get their network up and active,

the good news is that no one will want to build residential on it with the lack of market thats there at the moment, even o callaghans want to build a private medical facility instead of apartments at the jurys site

if i were to advise a potential buyer of the beamish site in terms of its development potential – i would have to mention the serious development constraints as follows;

– protected structures in centre of site afaik – seriously restricts site developemt capacity and redevelopment options overall
– protected views to st finbarrs also constrain scale and site coverage – need to maintain certain key views as per the views and prospects policy in the cdp
– proximity to south gate bridge and historic quayside setting restricts the level of development in taht location
– lack of significant footfall on south main street, poor retail potential, secondary location in retail/commercial terms
-long list of ready-made objections ready to be submitted – the public are sore at heineken’s actions – what is generall yperceived as plundering a key part of the city’s indiustrial and cultural heritage
– archaeology will be a huge issue – under and overground

imo, it is not a particularly good development site but a hugely important urban opportunity for the city – could be exactly what the city centre needs in terms of tourist/cultural/research oppportunities – part of extended food/drink heritage trail – english market – park- brewery link. city should consider purchase of the site (cpo). i honestly think if heineken were to put it on the market tomorrow, it would fail to attract huge interest – too messy.

i actually quite like the tanks – no real conservation interest but very interesting visually at that location

The Shandon area is indeed a disgrace; it is nothing more than a derelict site.
Walked there last week with a group of six tourists from Reno Nevada who were touring Europe.
The World tour guide that they looked up online to plan their itinerary recommended a visit to Cobh Cathedral, Blarney Castle, a tour of Beamish & Crawford / South Gate area, and Shandon.
Beamish & Crawford was closed (thanks Heineken !!) and the dirt and vomit on the streets was disgusting.
The “new” pedestrian areas in the Shandon were a danger to walk on due to sinking and broken pavers.
Thankfully the visit to Cobh and Blarney proved a success.

The city council pumped millions of Euro into the Shandon area over the past 10 years; they may as well flushed the money into our overpriced main drainage system for all the good it did for the area, the words ‘hole’ and ‘black’ spring to mind.

At least one city Councillor who is backing the National Conservation and Heritage Group’s efforts to save Beamish had the balls to insist that measures be put in place to ensure the further cash injection for the Shandon area as passed by CCC last year be used to “get it right this time round” , hope he is proved right?

I for one will boycott Heineken products for as long as they insist on ignoring our heritage.