Twenty-six jobs went when the brewery closed its doors on Friday. It immediately went on the open market but administrators say at least two other beverage companies are interested in taking over the site, which has seen beer-making in the town since 1742.

The business was being advertised on the open market in an attempt to attract other would-be buyers, said a spokesman for the receivers.

Production has been gradually running down at the brewery after administrators were called in back in January.

The building was the site of the old Redruth Brewery company before becoming part of Devenish Brewery. In more recent years it was owned by a Honk Kong based company.

This week it was also believe that the brewery site was being eyed up by developers although joint administrator Ian Walker of Begbies Traynor said he hoped the site would continue to make beer.

"I would very much like to see a brewery continue on the site, and I know there are a lot of people in the area who would be very disappointed if that tradition was not continued," he said. He was negotiating with a number of parties, some of who were interested in taking over the brewery as it was.

"But a lot is going to depend on if the people who want to run it as a brewery are willing to pay a similar sort of amount that I could get in selling it in some other way," he said.

The closure is a blow to ambitious plans to regenerate the local economy.