CAMPAIGNERS have reacted angrily to plans to revoke a European status awarded to Newcastle Brown Ale eight years ago.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) has contacted the Government to protest against the application of brewery company Scottish and Newcastle to revoke the ale's protective geographic indicator (PGI). It would allow the company to keep Newcastle as part of the drink's name.

The PGI is awarded by the EU, but applied for through the Government, and is handed out to prove authenticity that a product has been produced in a particular area such as British beef and Scottish lamb.

Newcastle Brown Ale applied to revoke the status after it announced plans to move production from the Tyne Brewery, Newcastle, to the Federation Brewery in Gateshead.

Camra said that if the move was approved, the ale could no longer be described as Newcastle Brown Ale brewed in Newcastle, and that it would undermine the authenticity of PGIs.

John Holland, brewery liason co-ordinator for Scottish and Newcastle and a director for Camra based in the North-East, said the PGI could benefit the region.

He said: "At the time they applied for a PGI, they said Newcastle Brown Ale can only come from the Tyne Brewery in Newcastle, but that has all changed now with the move to Gateshead.

"They want to revoke it because they are breaking their own PGI, which said production of brown ale was unique to Newcastle and could not be produced anywhere else.

"Consumers like this indication of where ale comes from. The implication is if all these groups of producers who have been given PGI status do the same thing, we could lose that."

Mr Holland said he believed it was the first time a single producer had applied to have the status revoked.

Scottish and Newcastle said the drink was protected by a trademark and that Newcastle would not be dropped from the title.

She said: "We feel the integrity of PGI is not protected despite only moving a mile-and-a-half down the road.

"We are applying for it to be revoked as we have to do that because we are moving location.

"It is likely to be several months before we find out a decision."