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Diageo expects 14% rise in profits just weeks after closing Kilkenny’s Smithwick’s Experience

A former worker's been telling KCLR that the drinks company had pledged to keep a presence locally in the form of such a facility

Diageo says their profits will be better than expected this year.

The world’s biggest spirits company is expecting profits to rise by at least 14%.

They’re resuming a programme to return cash to investors, with around one billion pounds sterling promised by the end of January.

The news comes less than a fortnight after they announced the closure of the Smithwicks Experience in Kilkenny despite the fact that former worker Martin Lalor says they promised to keep a presence in the form of an experience centre in the city long-term.

A group of Kilkenny publicans will meet with Diageo tomorrow (more on that here) while local hoteliers added their collective voice yesterday (more on that here) – they and others have also been adding to a petition – details on that here.

Mr Lalor was involved in talks as a staff rep when the brewery was being shut down as he outlined on KCLR Live to our Eimear Ní Bhraonáin – listen back to that here: