Barrel role

Contractors suspended from a crane in Dowling St, Dunedin, waterblast the Speight’s Brewery chimney yesterday.

Exterior maintenance is taking place on the fibreglass stack, which is now only an outlet for flue gas, as the brewery no longer burns coal.

The barrel design atop the chimney started out as a practical joke by a draughtsman, but it found favour with Hugh Speight, grandson of the company founder.

The barrel is to be painted, after cleaning and minor repairs.

The job could be finished this week, weather permitting.