Barbados
Wildey
Banks Beer
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Banks (Barbados) Breweries Limited is an immensely successful Barbadian - owned manufacturer. A public limited liability company, it is a subsidiary of Banks Holdings Limited, along with six other companies.
The plant sits on approximately 12 acres of land at Wildey, St. Michael, St. Michael. The location of the plant in 1959 was determined based on its proximity to air and sea ports. Today, the Brewery is strategically positioned at the entrance to one of Barbados’ most prominent Industrial Estates. As a production facility, its proximity in relation to the Bridgetown port is key to the efficiency of the operation.
Banks (Barbados) Breweries Ltd. was officially opened on September 7th, 1961 before 4,000 invited guests including its 3,400 shareholders and their guests. While on that Thursday evening guests were entertained by the music of the renowned Band of the Royal Barbados Police Force, and gallon upon gallons of Banks Beer flowed freely. It was billed as a "1000 gallon opening" during which each guest would be expected to drink no less than four beers. No rum, whisky or gin was to be served, though snacks would be provided.
All had come to be part of the unveiling of a business that remains a success three decades on an enterprise, surprisingly that started with an idea on a patio.
The place was the home of Peter D'Aguiar in Guyana where he sat chatting one day in January 1959 with a representative from the Barbados company, S.P. Musson, Son and Co. Ltd.
The conversation turned to the question of bottling beer. And as D'Aguiar pondered the success of Banks Breweries of British Guiana, his companion wondered aloud: "Perhaps a brewery would be a success in Barbados."
Thus was born the idea of Banks Barbados Breweries Limited.
(Info from: Banks Beer, 2002)
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