Watch Sunderland brewery wishing Boris Johnson 'merry Christmas' as it pours thousands of pints down the drain

A brewery has ironically wished Prime Minister Boris Johnson a “merry Christmas” as it begins pouring thousands of pints of unwanted beer down the drain.
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Sunderland’s Maxim Brewery spent the recent coronavirus lockdown brewing two of its popular festive tipples in the hope that pubs across the North East would be allowed to reopen once restrictions eased on December 2.

Yet the decision to place the region in Tier 3 – preventing bars and restaurants from welcoming back customers – means the brewery is pouring away 100 barrels containing around 7,200 pints.

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Brewery boss Mark Anderson said: “We prepared a limited amount of Christmas beer thinking that the North East would be placed back in tier two following the lockdown.

Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson begins pouring away thousands of pints of unwanted Christmas beer.Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson begins pouring away thousands of pints of unwanted Christmas beer.
Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson begins pouring away thousands of pints of unwanted Christmas beer.

"Once we were placed in tier three and the pubs couldn’t reopen, however, we knew we were going to be left with Christmas beer which no-one would want in January and are going to have to pour it down the drain.”

Disposing of the 9,000 gallons of Santa’s Soot and The Great Escape – “it’s always on TV at Christmas” – will cost the brewery around £3,000 in costs and lost sales.

But Mr Anderson said it will cost the Treasury even more, adding: “The cost to the Government and ultimately the NHS will be about £4,000 in beer duty and VAT.

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"That is not very good for the economy in general and it is irritating for the North East when you see pubs in London allowed to open when they have a higher R rate than here.

Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson says the Government and NHS will lose out through lost revenue.Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson says the Government and NHS will lose out through lost revenue.
Maxim Brewery owner Mark Anderson says the Government and NHS will lose out through lost revenue.

Pubs are struggling and look to a good Christmas to help them through the new year when people slow down drinking in January and February.

“It is really disappointing and all I would like to do is wish Boris Johnson a happy Christmas because we won’t be having one.”

Maxim Brewery, which is licensed to dispose of beer on site, has survived through sales of bottled beers such as its famed Double Maxim brown ale to supermarkets and off licences.

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This is open Wednesdays-Fridays from 10am-3pm and on Saturdays from 9.30am-noon until Wednesday, December 23, at Gadwall Road, Rainton Bridge. Call (0191) 5848844.

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Read more: The 14 Sunderland pubs in the new 2021 Good Beer Guide

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