Comment: Cains deserves to prosper

Jul 29 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

THE phrase "Liverpool in a pint" was a wonderfully evocative description for Cains. It instantly allowed the wider world to associate the brand with a city that was fast earning a reputation for culture, vibrancy and optimism.

So it is perhaps fitting that today Cains has turned to the city for help at one of its most testing times.

The fate of the famous brewer is in the hands of its bankers and, according to Cains owners, brothers Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj, in the hands of Liverpool as well.

For while they wait to hear if Cains will be allowed to continue trading, after a share plunge yesterday, they are appealing to the city for help.

The Cains name – usually making headlines for its brewing prowess – is now facing a very real threat to its future.

Last week HM Revenue & Customs placed a winding-up order on the company for unpaid tax. Yesterday it announced half-year losses of £4.6m and admitted the figures "may cast significant doubt on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern".

Its future is now dependent on its bankers, Bank of Scotland, and Cains accepts there is "no guarantee" that the bank will approve the payment plan to HMRC.

Yet the brothers remain committed to Cains. They are determined to try and weather the storm and, given that they have enjoyed some notable successes since taking over the business six years ago, they should not be written off yet.

Asking for Liverpool’s support to take the Cains name into pubs across the country is an emotive move that speaks of this firm’s faith in its home city.

Sudarghara Dusanj says he believes in the fighting spirit of Robert Cain, who first began brewing in Liverpool around 1848, and feels there are reasons to feel optimistic for the future.

It is said fortune favours the brave; if the Dusanj brothers can keep their nerve through this difficult time, they deserve to prosper in the future.