Out on a limb

Some of England's regional brewers are establishing brewery outposts far from home. Glynn Davis reports

It’s not exactly surprising that breweries look to open pubs that are relatively close to their brewing operations. This makes delivering their carefully crafted beers a simple exercise and simplifies the issue of visiting the boozers to keep an eye on operations. There’s also the issue of management knowing that market much better than in any far-flung locations.

But despite these advantages there are still a number of breweries that have taken the plunge and bravely set up shop in distant locations. This is sometimes a result of the desire to open a flagship pub that is used to attract beer orders from other boozers in the area, or it could represent the first expansionary move into a new area.

Whatever the reason it is always great news for beer drinkers in the area who get the chance to savour the wares – in tip-top condition – of a brewery that would otherwise be beyond their reach.

Our research has thrown up the following adventurous breweries that operate distant outposts:

1. HARVEYS – ROYAL OAK, 44 TABARD STREET, LONDON
Bill Inman, marketing director of Harveys, had worked in the Borough area of London and was keen to open a pub in the city, since Sussex-based Harveys beers had “sold beyond the wildest expectations” in The Market Porter in Borough Market. The extremely run-down Royal Oak was his target and since it was close to falling down it went for a knock-down price.

But now restored to its original Victorian splendour it is proving a very popular pub afte.....

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By Glynn Davis

Section : Beer Trends

Page number : 54