Boddingtons brewers are to strike

Boddingtons is advertised as the Cream of Manchester

Workers at the Boddingtons brewery in Manchester have voted to strike as part of the campaign to retain beer production in the city.

The company's owner, Interbrew, plans to close the historic brewery and move production elsewhere, with the loss of 55 jobs.

It says it is no longer profitable to produce beer at the site.

Union leaders insist the brewery is viable and closure would end more than 200 years of brewing in the city.

The 48-hour strike will begin at 2200 GMT on Monday.

To take this away from Manchester is like taking away a part of us, we have grown up here with it Bruce Jones who plays Les Battersby in Coronation Street

Campaigners, including Bruce Jones who plays Les Battersby on Coronation Street, met on Tuesday to hear the progress of their efforts.

He joins the Campaign For Real Ale, the Transport and General Workers Union and Manchester City Council who also want the site to remain operational.

Mr Jones told the BBC he strongly resents the idea of the brewery closing.

"To take this away from Manchester is like taking away a part of us, we have grown up here with it," he said.

"What they are taking away from here will not be drunk when it comes back because it will not taste the same."

Earlier this month Manchester based MEP Arlene McCarthy called on Interbrew to review its decision.

Move production

But Philip Malpass, from Interbrew, said the decision followed a trend of more people choosing to drink lager rather than ale.

The site is set to shut in 2005, with the loss of 55 jobs, because bosses said it will reduce distribution costs.

Interbrew plans to brew cask ale in Manchester switching its production to Hyde Brewery, Moss Side.

However, most production will move to Lancashire, Scotland and Magor in South Wales.