THEY may be tough times, but one proud brewer in Ipswich has “re-started the clock of history” in a daring bid to see off the economic slump.

THEY may be tough times, but one proud brewer in Ipswich has “re-started the clock of history” in a daring bid to see off the economic slump.

For more than six years, the famous Cliff Quay brewery lay empty, but today beer is being made there once again.

The first two batches of ale are now fermenting in the micro-brewery ready to be sold at the adjacent Brewery Tap pub in Cliff Road this weekend.

Jeremy Moss, head brewer at the Cliff Quay Brewery, said: “It is nice we have re-started the clock of history and brewing again.

“I will be delighted when we have got beer we can sell.”

The bold move comes at a bleak time for the pub industry, but Mr Moss is confident they have the recipe for success.

The development was made possible by the Earl Soham Brewery, which invested heavily in securing the lease agreement and renovation of the site.

The Tolly Cobbold building had been gathering dust since 2002 when the company ceased production after more than 250 years in the area.

The Brewery Tap had also been closed since August, but has since re-opened with a permanent landlady, Lucy White, and has employed two chefs.

The equipment for the micro-brewery was delivered to the Tolly Cobbold building earlier this week.

Mr Moss said: “It has been a long road and we have got a few more steps to take.

“We are still growing. The recent weather didn't help us when everybody seemed to be locked in, but trade is heading in the right direction.

“Traditionally January and February are bad for the pub trade, but hopefully we will be bucking the trend.

“It will be a true barometer if everyone has a bad Easter.”

What do you think about brewing coming back to the Tolly Cobbold site? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

CLIFF Quay brewery has endured a turbulent 30 years since Tolly Cobbold was first taken over, by Ellerman Shipping Group, in 1977.

It had two further changes of ownership before brewing ceased in 1989.

Two years later brewing resumed with a “new” Tolly Cobbold company - but in 2002 brewing ceased again when Tolly merged with Essex brewers Ridleys.

That company was, in turn, taken over by Greene King - once Tolly's biggest Suffolk competitor - three years ago.