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Beachy Head beer row froths over
MOURNING local families have continued to pour scorn on a brewery’s decision to name its latest real ale the Beachy Head Christmas Jumper.
Eastbourne widower Keith Lane has called for the 7.2 per cent beer to be recalled amid widespread disgust at its brewer’s choice of name.
The 61-year-old lost his beloved wife Maggie at the cliffs back in March 2004 and went on to devote his spare time to talking down suicidal visitors to the infamous beauty spot.
He slammed the brand name as “disgusting” and urged Beachy Head Brewery to rename the ale – something head brewer Roger Green said the firm was reluctant to do, maintaining the name was an unfortunate coincidence, not meant to cause offence.
Now though, more families of suicide victims have got in touch to crank up the pressure.
Two years ago, Emma Jackson, from Beechy Avenue, lost a nephew to suicide, aged just 21.
Writing in the Herald’s letters page, she said, “Every day is hard as we miss him so much and have to watch his younger sister struggle to come to terms with what happened and explain to his five-year-old brother why he’s not here any more.
“Surely a Christmas drink should be named something funny or festive not something that clearly has the capability to upset many.”
Another person to suffer a similar heartbreak is Eastbourne man, Hamed Ali.
He said, “My family and I – and I’m sure a lot of other families – would like to stress how low and upsetting we found this after losing one of our loved ones to suicide over Beachy Head two years ago at a very young age. It is still very sore in our hearts, especially this time of year.”
Alan Staples lost his wife and mother of their two children in similar fashion. She had been suffering from bipolar disorder. Writing in the letters page, Mr Staples said, “The more I have thought about this the more disturbed by it I have become.
“For me this smacks of either pure insensitivity or misguided amateurism and has left a very bitter taste which will keep me from supporting this local business in future.”
However, not everyone was so damning.
Another reader, Adam McNaught-Davis, argued, “The brewery seems to be on safer ground here than anyone’s suggesting. Beachy Head is the brewery’s name, the cliff image is often used and the strength of the beer suggests it would keep one warm.
“Perhaps the owners knew what they were doing – but the press has come with a risk to their brand...so maybe they just missed the link? A storm in a beer jug?”
• Do you agree? Email your thoughts to eastbourne.herald@trbeckett.co.uk or comment below.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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J L Jones
Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 11:43 AMAny offence has already been caused, and that won't change if it is recalled. And hasn't it all been whipped up by the media? Has anyone likely to be personally affected by the name actually seen the product?
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