Molson Coors proposes closing Sharp’s Doom Bar brewery and UK contact centre

Molson Coors has proposed closing Sharp’s Brewery in Rock, Cornwall, and its national UK contact centre in Wales, saying the Sharp’s site is “no longer financially sustainable” as part of a wider UK restructuring that could put around 200 roles at risk. The company’s proposals are subject to consultation and name Doom Bar as the flagship of the Sharp’s portfolio that the firm says it will seek to protect.

The jobs figures cited across company communications and industry statements put roughly 50 roles at the Rock brewery and about 150 roles at the Wales contact centre under threat, totaling about 200 positions. Company material also notes more than £20 million invested into Sharp’s Brewery since Molson Coors acquired the business in 2011, and traces Sharp’s origins to Bill Sharp founding the brewery in Rock in 1994.

Timelines for implementation are inconsistent in available notices. Some communications indicate plans to close the Rock site and the contact centre “by the end of this year,” while other implementation documents set an expectation that changes could be carried out “by the end of 2026 if approved.” Molson Coors describes the proposals as subject to formal consultation before any redundancies are finalised.

Molson Coors frames the move as a response to changing customer behaviour and digitisation. Company messaging cites that nearly 90% of on-trade customer orders are now placed digitally and includes this explanation from Mr Kerry: “As our customers’ purchasing habits have become more digitally led over the past few years, we have evolved our business as part of our digitisation journey. The proposed closure of our national contact centre is no reflection on the brilliant work of our teams, but is in response to these changes.” Simon Kerry also said the decision “has not been an easy decision” and praised the Rock team as “an exceptional and committed team who take such huge pride in their craft.”

Molson Coors says it “remains committed” to the Sharp’s brand portfolio, including Doom Bar, and is exploring alternative production routes such as moving production to other facilities within its network or through partner brewing arrangements. Industry notices warn that consolidation of production into fewer, higher-utilisation sites could have knock-on effects for aluminium can and packaging supply chains if volumes shift to different regions.

Local reaction to proposals has been sharp: critics featured in company images and commentaries described any plan to brew Cornish beers outside Cornwall as “a disgrace.” The Sharp’s portfolio named in company and trade notices includes Doom Bar, Atlantic, Twin Coast, Offshore, Sea Fury, Solar Wave and Chalky’s Bite, all of which could be affected by any decision to relocate production.

Molson Coors has signalled it will “be doing everything we can to support our teams through this process” and said its current focus is supporting Rock-based colleagues while consultations proceed. The consultation period and its outcomes will determine whether Doom Bar and the rest of the Sharp’s range continue to be brewed in Cornwall or move to other production arrangements.