SIX jobs are going at Ann Street as the brewery and pub operator scales down business at its traditional home.

The redundancies are the result of Ann Street Freetraders transferring its last remaining distribution activities at Ann Street to its warehouse in Longueville Road.

The move follows a review by the company’s parent group, CI Traders, following the merger of Ann Street and Le Riche in September 2002.’The relocation to St Saviour will allow Ann Street Freetraders to operate a more efficient distribution service for customers in the future,’ said Paul Smith, chief executive of CI Traders Hospitality Division.

‘It is always sad when jobs are lost – however, by taking these actions we believe that we will continue to retain our competitive advantage.

In turn this will provide stability for the majority of our employees.’Mr Smith added that alternative employment for the six affected staff would be sought in other parts of CI Traders.Although Ann Street’s brewing activities remain in St Helier, the Ann Street site – which has brewed beer since 1871 – is earmarked for housing in the States Island Plan.

The company’s brewery and adjacent warehouse were safeguarded for first-time-buyer and social rental housing for the second half of the ten-year plan in July 2002.The move to Longueville – which brings all of Ann Street’s distribution activities under one roof – has been made possible by the closure of the AE Smith bottling plant, which CI Traders announced in October with the loss of ten jobs.