Molson Coors and Sharps
Doom Bar, despite being one of the nation’s top selling beers, is not highly regarded by most cask ale drinkers that I know. All the same, it is sad to see it being removed from its origins in Rock, Cornwall, especially at the cost of 50 jobs in an area of high unemployment. The irony is that many people didn’t believe that, given the vast quantities produced, it was actually brewed there anyway! The closure is part of a wider restructuring of the company in the UK and Ireland and the Rock site has been judged to be ‘no longer financially sustainable as part of our national production network’. There will also be job losses elsewhere. Sharp’s were founded in 1994 and were taken over by Molson Coors (MC) in 2011. MC are said to have since invested £20 million in the site. Presumably, MC have spare capacity in their other breweries in Burton-on-Trent, Burtonwood and Tadcaster. Sharp’s did, of course, produce other beers than Doom Bar and MC say that they are committed to these brands and will explore ‘a number of alternative production routes. I only hope that MC don’t go down the path of changing Doom Bar to a brewery-conditioned ‘fresh’ beer.
The rescuers rescued
Readers will recall that that when the Black Sheep Brewery were previously in difficulties, the Keystone Brewing Group (KBG), backed by Breal Capital, stepped in to save them. KBG also acquired a number of other breweries, including Purity Brewing Co, Brew By Numbers, Brick Brewery, Magic Rock Brewing and Fourpure Brewing Co. However, In January, KBG themselves gave notice that they were going into administration. The family-owned Paramount Retail Group, who already own the Saltaire Brewery, then acquired KBG for £4.5 million. There had been suggestions that Black Sheep would be sold separately but that didn’t happen. Paramount have set up a separate organisation, the Great British Drinks Company (GBDC), to operate their new acquisitions. The purchase includes an agreement to invest £2 million in Black Sheep in order to ‘restore the business back to growth’. The deal has saved around 145 jobs. Encouragingly, one of the co-founders of GBDC said, “We are backing regional craft beer and rebuilding some of the nation’s best loved brands. These sites are not just businesses. They are community assets and important drivers of local tourism.”
Wetherspoons news
Further to the site at Charing Cross mentioned in the previous edition, JDW have announced a new pub in Paddington, this time next to the station itself, despite having only opened the nearby Sir Alexander Fleming last autumn. A number of observers, including me, are wondering if their plan is to have a site at each of London’s railway (not ‘train’) termini. A new site in the West End, in Shaftesbury Avenue, has also been announced.
There appears to have been another U-turn regarding the site of the former Grape & Grain at Crystal Palace. According to a report in the London Now newsletter, the site was put up for sale for a second time in February, despite JDW having announced in March of last year that they would, after all, be developing the site themselves. This one-time Good Beer Guide entry has been closed since 2017.
JDW have put another leasehold pub up for sale. This is the Kentish Drovers in Peckham. I have only recently seen this reported but it has been on the market for some time. It is a large four-storey pub in a prominent position, not far from Peckham Rye station, and is in the Rye Lane Peckham Conservation Area.
In Kingston, a garden area has now been added to the King’s Tun and, further out in Guildford, the Surrey University Students’ Union has become a JDW franchise.
In early February, Sir Tim made an interesting comment to the Sunday Times, as reported in the Propel newsletter. He said, “I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone. I never wanted to build a dynasty. I thought it was unfair on the children and maybe unfair on people who worked for the company and would naturally rise through. But I’ve got to find people to take over from me.”
Star attraction
In February, Star Pubs and Bars, owned by Heineken, reported that the number of applicants to take on pubs in their leased and tenanted sector increased by 10% in January as compared to 2025. They say that this demonstrates that taking on a pub remains an ‘attractive proposition’. The report added that some 60% of applicants now find their pubs through company websites and social media and that they are now more knowledgeable about the trade, especially the financial aspects. No doubt then that they can work out how much better off they would be if they could trade ‘free of tie’.
M&B splash the cash
Mitchell & Butlers have announced that, this year, they will be spending money on 18 out of the 100 or so pubs in their community-focused Castle Pubs brand. Among the first were the White Horse in Parsons Green (see the Pub News column) and the Crown & Greyhound in Dulwich which was due to reopen on 19 March, following work on the bar and outdoor areas and the creation of an events space upstairs. Its 20 letting rooms are also being given a make-over. The next in line for refurbishment are the Prince Albert in Notting Hill and the Sun in Clapham Old Town.
Meanwhile, M&B are expanding their Orleans Smokehouse brand. The first reported instance in London is the Beulah Spa, a former Harvester in Upper Norwood. It has a separate bar area with seating for non-diners although it does not stock cask beer.
At their AGM on 29 January, over 20% of M&B’s shareholders voted against the re-election of the chairman, Bob Ivell. The company said that it was ‘committed to continuing discussions with shareholders’ over the issue.
Morgans expand
The Morgan Pub Collective, who operate some 25 pubs in and around London, have now added the Crane Tap in the new development opposite Twickenham station to their portfolio. This follows their acquisition of the Jolly Fine Pub Company last autumn.
Heartwood Collection’s new opening
Marston’s closed the Woodman in Palmers Green in July 2024. Happily, the pub, first licensed in 1868 and converted from two cottages, has now been acquired and reopened by the Heartwood Collection after refurbishment. This is their 35th pub. The company has reported that, for the year ended 29 June 2025, their turnover increased by 21.7% to £82.6 million, up from £67.9 million in 2024.
Young’s news
Young’s have closed the Naturalist in Finsbury Park. Only opened in 2018 and situated in a new development, it appears that the site has not been successful. It is understood to be on the market. Also currently up for sale are the lease of the Nine Elms Tavern, another modern pub at the base of an apartment block, the freehold of the Grade II-listed Kings Head in Roehampton and the lease of the Guard House in Woolwich, also Grade II listed.
Given the extent to which the company has grown in both size and performance in recent years, the company intends to apply to the Financial Conduct Authority for its shares to be moved from the AIM market to be traded on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.