David Grant, MD Moorhouse's Brewery
Prince Charles was briefed on Moorhouse’s new multi-million pound brewing complex as he paid a hectic royal visit to Burnley.
During an action packed tour of the north-east Lancashire town that included meetings with local businessmen, Moorhouse’s managing director David Grant was able to outline the £3.5m project to the Prince.
The 145-year-old company has recently commenced work on the major ‘tower brewery’ development which will double the workforce and treble production capacity for the internationally acclaimed ‘Pendle Witch’ cask ales to some 1,000 barrels a week. A training school and visitor centre are also included to help in regenerating the former mill town.
David Grant, who gave interviews with the BBC over the day, said: “To have a visit from the Prince was a great day for Burnley and a terrific opportunity to reveal Moorhouse’s exciting plans to him. We are playing a key role in the development of Burnley and the Prince showed real interest. In a short presentation I told him this was the first traditional tower brewery to be built for many years and he was impressed that we have included a visitor centre in the scheme. He thought this would help to promote the town. He asked me to write to him with further details.”
“Over the day I had the chance to talk with him further on a couple of occasions.He expressed his great concern about the closure of rural pubs and spoke of the ways in which they might be saved through use as post offices and stores. I pointed out the red tape obstacles that are involved in this and he was most interested.In fact,I saw so much of the Prince that at one stage he jokingly asked if I was stalking him.”
Prince Charles has a strong links with Burnley through the Prince’s Trust charity that supports training and employment opportunities for young people. His itinerary included visits to the new £81m University of Central Lancashire campus, historic Townley Hall for a meeting with business and community leaders and Turf Moor, the home of Burnley Football Club, where David Grant joined a panel of local business people to debate ways forward for the town.