Boag’s Brewery Experience, one of the most popular tourism attractions in Launceston, is shutting down from January 31st – a move the premier says is a “massive kick in the guts.”
The brewery’s owner Lion announced that the visitor centre, brewery tours, bar and function hire would cease from the end of this month due to ongoing challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The closure of the popular attraction has come as a significant blow to Launceston’s visitor economy.
City of Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson expressed his disappointment at the news, saying the Boag’s visitor centre and brewery tours are consistently ranked extremely highly by visitors to Launceston through feedback to the Launceston Visitor Information Center and through a range of tourism review websites.
“In point of fact, the James Boag Brewery Experience is ranked by Tripadvisor visitors among Launceston’s top three most popular activities, alongside visits to iconic Launceston destinations like the Cataract Gorge and City Park.”
He goes on to say Boag’s has been associated with Launceston for more than 160 years, and the City of Launceston has an excellent working relationship with local management on the ground at the brewery.
“However, the decision by Lion’s national office to effectively close the brewery to tourists is a significant blow for the city, especially at a time when Launceston is seeking to leverage the opportunities that will flow from being designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.”
“The closure of such a popular attraction is a major setback for the visitor economy of Launceston, and it’s important that we work together to explore options to keep the attraction open for visitors in the future.”
Mayor Gibson says he intends to seek a meeting with Lion as soon as possible to better understand the decision and to explore any opportunities to re-consider the closure in the future.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has also expressed his disappointment and concern over the announcement, saying the Government has reached out to Lion management this morning to better understand the reasoning for this decision.
“We stand ready to assist where we can to allow this iconic Launceston experience to continue into the future.”
“I am disappointed at this decision, which is a massive kick in the guts for both the workers at the site and the local Launceston economy.”
“The Boags visitor centre has been an iconic drawcard for Launceston for decades that attracts visitors from across the country, and there’s no doubt its closure will be detrimental to the northern economy.”
