WHETHER either the Beamish & Crawford brewery on Cork’s South Main Street or the Heineken Ireland brewery on the city’s Watercourse Road will still be in operation in two years time is a very real question as the news is digested that the Competition Authority won’t be stopping the takeover of Ireland’s oldest brewery by Heineken Ireland.

A MANAGEMENT buyout at the Beamish & Crawford brewery in Cork could be the final resolution to concerns raised by the Irish Competition Authority to Heineken’s proposed €10.5 partial billion takeover of Scottish & Newcastle.

DRINKERS in Cork yesterday told Carlsberg and Heineken bosses: “Hands off our city’s breweries!”

UK brewer Scottish & Newcastle received a new takeover proposal today after bidders Carlsberg and Heineken topped up their offer price to £7.3bn (€10.2bn).

Following the release of mid year results by Heineken NV, its Irish subsidiary, Heineken Ireland today reports a 21.6% share of the total beer market in Ireland in the six-month period to June 30, 2007.

Heineken said it will produce Amstel for sale in South Africa at its facilities in Europe until its new brewery is complete.

Footballer Mark Lawrenson fronted a new advertising campaign launched in Dublin today for Amstel on draught.

Brewing giant SAB Miller has said it had bought the Chinese brewing interests of Lion Nathan for an equity value of $71m (€58m).

HEINEKEN Ireland has increased sales by volume by 5% despite the introduction of the smoking ban, but the company’s Murphy’s Stout sales fell by 5% in the first half of the year.

The Heineken group's half-year profits are down 27% on last year, the company announced today.

Heineken Ireland saw its beer sales volume increase by 1.6% last year in what it termed a declining market.

HEINEKEN Ireland’s continued growth of market share will help it offset the forecasted drop-off in beer sales following the imposition of a ban in smoking in pubs from January, the company said yesterday.

Heineken Ireland reported a 38% draught market share in it interim results published today.

Olympics organisers and a Greek bank have agreed a $72m (£50m) sponsorship deal, one of the largest for the 2004 Games.