THE future of the Robe Town Brewery is under threat and at risk of closing.
Brewery proprietors Maris and Kristi Biezaitis have been advised by their agent to vacate their building by the end of this month, which the pair believe will lead to the end of their business.
Ownership of the building, which is located at the Robe junction of the Southern Ports Highway and Millicent Road changed hands last year.
According to the pair, property managers assured them the owners would continue a long-term lease agreement and they could remain as tenants for as long as they wanted.
However, the Biezaitis’ received notice from the agent to quit the property at the end of March.
“The agent assured us that a new lease was being prepared to reflect the new owner’s plans for the property and we even received an agreement for a six-month extension of the previous lease to allow time for the new lease to be prepared,” Mr Biezaitis said.
“We signed this agreement and returned it to the agent but we have since been told the owner will not be signing.”
Mr Biezaitis said it was impossible for the pair to move production to a temporary property due to restrictions on licensing.
“A licence to produce is not granted to an individual or a business entity, it is granted to a location,” he said.
“If we are unable to produce and run our business over the next year it is most likely we will have to terminate our business.”
Since opening the brewery five years ago, the pair have established the Robe Beer Fest, which brings around 2000 people and more than $500,000 to the town each year for the last two years.
The Biezaitis’ said establishing a new production facility, including licensing, would take nearly a year to complete.
The Latvian-born couple urged anyone that could assist them in seeking a new home to contact them.
“Obviously our first choice would be to remain in Robe but if that is impossible we would like the opportunity to move to another location,” Ms Biezaitis said.
“However, we grew to love this place pretty early on and decided to open our first business here.
“Kristi became an Australian citizen here in Robe and our two children, now 8 and 10 have grown up here.”
