IRVINE is set to become the home of a new Buckfast Brewery, the Times can today reveal.

The town centre, which has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment as part of a regeneration project, is being eyed by some manufacturers of the popular tonic wine for their new site.

The news, which was revealed today - Wednesday, April 1 - has also revealed that planners are hoping to erect an eight foot ‘Buckie statue’ at the top of the new Trinity steps, right in the heart of Bridgegate.

Preliminary plans reveal the statue would be of a Benedictine monk - to honour the monks who famously first brewed the tonic wine in Buckfast Abbey the 1890s - and would include a running fountain which would gush an endless supply of Buckfast.

It has not yet been revealed whether plastic pint glasses will be provided.

The Buckfast Brewery will be the second new booze factory to pop up in the town, after the sake brewery moved in to the former Dreghorn Primary School last year.

It is hoped that the new Buckfast plant will create up to four new jobs and makers are hoping to employ a tasting specialist to ensure their unique signature flavour is maintained.

The specialist would be expected to consume around six gallons of the tonic wine during a 15-hour working week and experts say they could still legitimately claim almost all their welfare benefits.

Buckfast fan Al Egedly said he hoped the brewery would be housed in the Trinity Church so fans of the drink could fill cups at the fountain, then relax and enjoy their drinks on the steps.

He said: “The promise of new jobs and a new statue is promising for the town. I hope it goes into the Trinity Church because then it would be one of our oldest, most historic buildings being home to one of our favourite beverages. We can only hope plastic pint cups are provided.”