By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-10-09 06:06:10 | Updated at 2026-10-09 07:22:18
1 hour ago
Carlsberg Britvic is set to close its Marston’s Brewery in Burton upon Trent, with around 310 workers at risk, almost 200 years after it first made beer in the Staffordshire town.
The British arm of Danish beer giant Carlsberg said it is planning to shut the brewery and logistics operation at the site in the summer of 2027.
Carlsberg said the closure move is driven by structural decline in the ale category and a “need to create greater long-term value” from the group.
It said it will continue to make certain ale brands, such as Hobgoblin, McEwan’s and Brooklyn, but will look to sell some of its other cask and regional ale brands.
It did not disclose which brands might be sold.
In 2020, Marston’s and Carlsberg announced a merger deal to create the Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, which included Marston’s breweries and distribution site but not its pubs.
Carlsberg initially owned 60 per cent of the joint venture but bought Marston’s out completely in 2024, allowing Marston’s to focus entirely on its pub business.
John Marston started his brewery in the East Staffordshire town in 1834, then relocated to the current brewery site on Shobnall Road in 1898.
Marston’s Brewery in Burton upon Trent is set to shut
PA
Chief executive of Carlsberg Britvic Paul Davies said: “I am very aware that this news will have come as a shock for colleagues, as I recognise the impact of this proposal is significant.
"While we remain proud of the role we have played in supporting and investing in the ale category overall, the stark reality is that UK cask ale volumes have more than halved in less than a decade, and this trend looks set to continue across the UK.
"It is my role to ensure Carlsberg Britvic’s multi-beverage portfolio is focused where consumers are today, and where customer demand is growing.
"That said, smaller ale brands are much-loved by select consumers, and we will do everything we can to ensure they thrive under more specialist or local ownership in the future."
The company has brewed in east Staffordshire since the 1800s
PA
He added that the brewery and its main logistics operation are expected to operate during a transition period while it works through the consultation.
It comes just days after Molson Coors confirmed Sharp's Brewery in north Cornwall will close in December, with up to 40 jobs set to be lost.
Molson Coors said it had invested more than £20m in the Rock site since buying the brewery in 2011.
However, officials said changing consumer tastes and continued pressure on the cask ale market meant the operation was "no longer financially sustainable".
The Staffordshire brewery will close
GETTY
Managing director of Molson Coors in the UK and Ireland, Simon Kerry, told the BBC: "For the last 15 years, Sharp's Brewery has formed a significant part of our UK business, so taking the decision to close the site has not been easy.
"However, despite our best efforts, the site is no longer financially sustainable.
"I would like to take the opportunity to thank our many exceptional colleagues at Rock who have been instrumental in the success of the Sharp's brands during that time.
"Our focus is now on supporting those impacted throughout this transition."
The Campaign for Real Ale expressed outrage at the news, arguing beer marketed as Cornish should continue to be brewed in Cornwall.
Chairman of CAMRA Kernow Dave Pedlar said: "This is a betrayal of the founders of Sharp's, the 40 people whose jobs are at risk, and the locals that have supported this business for decades.
"We've known for a while that the Sharp's cask production was moving up country, but Hartlepool is 417 miles away, which is as far from Rock as Brussels.
"We need 'pasty-style' consumer protection laws that stop Molson Coors from continuing to market these beers as Cornish."
