Brewers move into pubs and hotels
By: JimOldfield
August 5th, 2012
Brewery bosses like their vertical integration… which usually takes the form of buying up pubs, in which to sell their ales.
But as ambitions grow, London giant Young’s has been going one better for a while – and the company is about to open its SEVENTEENTH hotel!
The £3m, 17-room Foley Hotel, in the Surrey village of Claygate, is described as a “boutique hotel”, and comes complete with pub and dining room.
Not surprisingly, Young’s cask ales and craft beers will feature strongly at the bar, and the “modern coaching inn” lists top quality food and free Wi-fi among its many features.
For those wishing to stay with Young’s, the company has launched a specific website for its hotels – which are currently concentrated in the South-East and West Country. See the Hand-Pumped link below.
Further north, Scottish Borders Brewery owner John Henderson is also collecting pubs.
He has bought the Cross Keys in Ancrum – close to his 1,800-acre Chesters Estate.
The Cross Keys is Borders’ first pub venture and Mr Henderson says he wants to build it into a “real community pub” – but he too has plans to add accommodation and food later.
He set up Scottish Borders Brewery in January last year and it now supplies more than 200 outlets across central Scotland and Northern England.
Cross Keys regulars can expect to see Borders favourites such as Game Bird, Dark Horse and Wee Beastie on the bar, as the brewery uses the pub to showcase its growing portfolio of ales.
HAND-PUMPED links:
Young’s hotels
Scottish Borders Brewery
