Britain’s oldest brewery mulls future as cost pressures bite Hospitality The family-run company behind Britain’s oldest brewery is exploring its future after wrestling with soaring costs and sliding sales. Shepherd Neame, which was founded in 1698 in Faversham, Kent and is the firm behind classic British beers Spitfire, Bishop’s Finger and Whitstable Bay, said it had begun a strategic review into its brewing operations “to [...]
Can Brewdog get ‘equity punks’ onside in bid to move on from James Watt? Hospitality Craft beer giant Brewdog has launched a reset under its American owners Tilray. Felix Armstrong explores whether the company can truly move on from James Watt Dessert-flavoured beer, provocative ad campaigns, waxy-mustached artisans – much about Brewdog’s long-anticipated reset feels familiar, as if the recently-collapsed craft brewer is really getting back to its roots. But [...]
New Brewdog owner mounts comeback from ‘horrible’ collapse Hospitality The new owner of Brewdog has launched a comeback for the company after it collapsed earlier this year, blaming “horrible” sales during its change of ownership on “negative” media reports. The craft beer firm saw sales slump by as much as 20 per cent year on year following its takeover by US cannabis and drinks [...]
Last orders: Boss of under-fire pub regulator defends her record September 29, 2026 The Pubs Code Adjudicator, Fiona Dickie, is preparing to step away early next year. She tells Felix Armstrong why the beleaguered watchdog deserves a future Can an industry watchdog be effective if it has launched only two investigations in its 10 years of existence? Yes – at least according to Fiona Dickie, the Pubs Code [...]
Lord’s Cricket Ground, West Ham, EY among creditors owed £190m by Brewdog September 24, 2026 Lord’s Cricket Club, West Ham United and Big Four accounting firm EY are among the big-name firms which are owed £190m by Brewdog. The craft beer firm collapsed earlier this year and its administrators have said that its unsecured creditors, who are owed £189.9m, will not be paid back. AlixPartners, Brewdog’s administrators, said there are [...]
‘Less allegation’: Brewdog hits out at former owners September 21, 2026 Brewdog’s new owners have sought to distance the company from its founders James Watt and Martin Dickie with a new campaign that pledges the controversial brewer will be “run properly” and attract a “little less allegation”. The craft beer firm, which is now owned by US cannabis firm Tilray, has launched a multi-million pound campaign [...]
HSBC to lose £17m in Brewdog collapse September 18, 2026 HSBC is set to lose out on more than £17m as part of the administration of Brewdog, the craft beer firm which was sold to a US cannabis group earlier this year. The bank is set to suffer a shortfall of £16.8m from its debts to the collapsed brewer while its Equipment Finance arm is [...]
Badger Beer maker Hall & Woodhouse doubles profit ahead of tie-up with James May September 10, 2026 The maker of Tangle Foot, Fursty Ferret and Hopping Hare has doubled its profit after cheering a jump in brewing volumes. Dorset-based brewer Hall and Woodhouse, which also operates over 130 pubs across England including the Old Nick in Holborn, St Stephen’s Tavern in Westminster and The Ship and Shovell in Charing Cross, recorded a [...]
Ghost Ship brewer Adnams cuts staff after ‘challenging’ trading September 4, 2026 Adnams, the brewer of Ghost Ship ale, has resorted to letting go of staff as it takes emergency measures to face up to “challenging” trading conditions. The Suffolk-based brewer and pub owner told shareholders it has kicked off “a series of operational, commercial and labour management initiatives” after facing worse-than-expected sales at the start of [...]
Brewdog founder James Watt hits out at ‘total silence’ over new venture August 26, 2026 Brewdog co-founder James Watt has hit out at the “total silence” surrounding his latest venture, a drink designed to prevent hangovers. The craft beer tycoon wrote on LinkedIn: “Normally, if I cough loudly, three journalists file copy about it. Yesterday we did a world first and the press said nothing. “Not a peep. Total silence,” [...]