Could the Cider Tap go Dry at a Tiverton Brewery?

A WELL-ESTABLISHED Tiverton-based firm has gone into  administration.

Devon Cider Company which is based on the former Whitbread  brewery site made the shock announcement today (October 22).

Vantis Business Recovery Services has been appointed as  administrator for the cidermaker, which produces own-label  ciders and brands including Old Moors, Three Hammers and Ice  White.

The administrator is seeking to sell it as a going concern and no  redundancies have been made.

Geoff Rowley, client partner at Vantis, said: “We are continuing  to trade with all of Devon Cider’s customers and have the on-going  support of all the multiples with whom Devon trades.

 “Interest in the business has been strong and we hope to be able  to proceed with a sale on a going concern basis.”

 Devon Cider employs 50 people and turnover is around £20  million.

The company was bought out by its management team shortly  after going into voluntary administration two years ago and was  restructured as a group of three companies – Devon Cider, Devon  Cider Brands and Devon Commercial Property.

Devon Cider was founded in 1999 and four years ago moved to  larger premises in Tiverton, which it bought from Inbev.

Cllr Alan Griffiths, who represents Westexe said: “I am hoping  they are able to keep the jobs in my ward, but it is an uncertain  time. This would be the worst possible time to lose any jobs, just  before Christmas and at the bottoming out point of a recession.”

For more details on this, see next weeks Mid Devon Gazette.

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