An all out effort is being made to keep one of Redruth's oldest industry's alive.

CPR Regeneration, the urban regeneration company for Camborne, Pool and Redruth, is seeking a meeting with the administrators appointed to run Redruth Brewery to see what can be done to provide a new economic future for the site.

As reported in last week's Packet, Corporate Recovery and Begbies Traynor were appointed joint administrators to the brewery on Wednesday, with five jobs lost immediately. Others could go if a solution cannot be found.

If brewing comes to an end, an alternative use may be found for what is described as an "important site".

Dr Tim Williams, chief executive of CPR Regeneration, said: "We're very saddened by the news but we've got to see it as an opportunity and I'm hoping to meet the administrators soon. We'd like to explore whether there is a basis for brewing on the site and how we might help in attracting a potential buyer. Failing that it is a very important site to Redruth and we know there would be a lot of interest in developing it to create quality jobs for the area.

"One option might be for us to acquire it as part of a joint venture. We will explore that and other options quickly."

Town councillor John Woodward said that the loss of the company would be a real blow to a traditional business. He called for urgent action to be taken to protect jobs.

Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Falmouth-Camborne, Ashley Crossley, said: "As with CompAir and Quaife Engineering, the regeneration company can bring real expertise into ensuring that either Redruth Brewery is given the support it needs to continue trading, or that a package is put together to safeguard the infrastructure and jobs."

Redruth Brewery is said to be the second oldest in the country, founded in 1742 by William Davey.

This time last year, demand for the company's bottled beers was said to be growing by ten per cent, year on year, with 20 per cent of bottled beer production going to Hong Kong and south-east Asia.

The brewery has experienced turbulent times since the old Devenish Brewery sold the site to local management. That later came to an end, but brewing continued when the Dransfield group, with headquarters in Hong Kong, took over.

It is understood that more recently, the brewery was sold to a private buyer.

Ian Walker for the administrators told the Packet on Monday that there had been "an awful lot of interest" shown in the brewery. In the short term trading would continue but he did not know for how long.