Star Comment: Why the demise of Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton is a bitter blow to the Black Country and its people
Some industries are far more than bricks and mortar. They are part of the fabric of the region, with generations of hard endeavour invested in them.
It is little surprise the closure of the Banks’s Brewery in Wolverhampton has encouraged a huge number of readers to share their memories.
It is an important landmark for the city, but also represents a product that has been enjoyed by generations, from the urban Black Country to the leafy edges of Shropshire and Staffordshire.
We have come to love the steam and the smell emanating from the brewery, proud that the pint of Best or Mild being supped in the pub came from just down the road.
The closure of the brewery has brought with it a deep sadness. There are echoes to the end of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, along with the nearby historic Coalbrookdale Foundry, or the Goodyear plant in Wolverhampton.
The buildings associated with those operations have gone, but the influence of the businesses on the psyche of the communities they served remain strong.
We have reported this week on just some of the comments left by readers. There are many more to be found on our website and we would encourage you to add your thoughts and memories in our Comment section below.
Wolverhampton Camra is right in pointing out that Carlsberg Britvic probably doesn't understand the impact of the closure on the people of Wolverhampton and the wider West Midlands.
Its chairman Mark Hewitt sums up the sentiment perfectly, saying he hopes brewery bosses will “reflect on the damage that has been done to a city's heritage, customer choice for drinkers and the prospects for the pubs in our region that can longer offer customers their favourite beers.”
Thanks for the memories Banks's. But no thanks to those who have removed another part of our heritage.
