A Kent brewery that was proclaimed a ‘Brexit export champion’ by the government has filed notice of intention to appoint administrators in an effort to fend off creditors while it tries to find a buyer.
Old Dairy Brewery, which appeared in a promotional video by the Department for International Trade last year to showcase post-Brexit opportunities, has run into trouble after its exports dried up.
The brewery, which is based in Tenterden and whose beers are stocked in pubs across the region, complained last month that international exports had plunged to £2,000 after expecting them to rise to £600,000.
It reported that customers in Europe wanted to take British beer but that it was not cost-effective.
They have lost all but one of their EU customers as a result.
Virginia Hodge, export manager at the brewery, based at Tenterden, said: “Some transport companies won’t take alcohol now because of all the transit documents you need.
“I used to be able to make up a case of beer and send it by courier [to the EU] and now I have to send it through the full customs declaration. Our customers in Europe say they want to take British beer, but it’s just not cost effective. They’ve got to do a lot more paperwork.”
She said the brewery’s one remaining EU customer had faced multiple challenges. She said: “The first time he came over, we were up all night trying to get him through customs at Dover and out of the country.
“He was stuck because of the paperwork. He used to come over for just one night, but now it takes four days because of all the problems.”
Hodge said small businesses were not given sufficient support. She said: “There is nobody to ask and there is no system.”
She said advisers on government helplines referred questions about export problems to the government website.
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