Grant support from the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund has enabled Big Bog Brewery to relocate into new premises and increase its workforce. Tony McDonough reports.

Seven Liverpool city region businesses have secured more than £217,000 from the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund – creating or safeguarding 51 jobs.

The firms set to benefit are 2U Food, CWS Fabrications and Foodpack in St Helens, as well as Liverpool companies Harrison Stringfellow Architects and Future Electrics.

Samelco Automation Systems in Birkenhead and Southport’s PCI Instruments will also receive funding.

Grant support from the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund has enabled Big Bog Brewery to relocate into new premises and increase its workforce.

Having relocated from North Wales to Liverpool, the microbrewery has been able to ramp up production to meet demand following a recent award win.

The new premises are five times the size of the original site and house state of the art equipment allowing the brewery to produce high quality and consistent cask ales in a traditional environment using the latest techniques.

Business owner Master Brewer Paul Jefferies said: “Without the grant we couldn’t have financed the expansion.

“Sales went through the roof following our award win and thanks to the grant we have been able to expand to meet the increased demand.”

The move has resulted in the creation of two jobs at the brewery, with a further two expected over the next six to eight months.

Geoff Bates, Regional Growth Fund programme manager at St Helens Chamber, added: “Big Bog Brewery is a successful company that was operating at capacity from a shared premises in North Wales.

“Thanks to the Fund they have been able to move to a larger premises to meet demand, and we fully expect to see further job creation in line with the increase in production.”

Round six of the Regional Growth Fund is currently open for applications from local businesses under the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund.

More than £2m of grant funding is still available but this must be awarded by March 2017.

Grants of up to £75,000 are available to provide investment for growth when conventional finance is not available elsewhere.

For further information on the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund visit www.sthelenschamber.com/mrgf