The brewery has been producing the Hobgoblin range of beers since 1983 and is sited at the old Eagle Maltings, built in 1841 to malt barley for Clinch’s brewery. The closure is in line with the break clause on CMBC’s lease with the landlord who owns the site.
Operations will continue as normal at the brewery for the coming months. Wychwood brands – such as Hobgoblin ales, as well as Firecatcher and Dry Neck beers – will continue to be brewed in the CMBC network.
Support for the employees
The six people still working at the brewery will be provided support by the company during the consultation period, with Carlsberg Marston’s exploring the possibility of redeploying them within the business.
Paul Davies, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company chief executive, said: “We understand the depth of feeling towards Wychwood Brewery and have tremendous pride in our team there. Our number one focus is giving them all the support they need as we begin the consultation on this proposal.
“The UK ale market is an incredibly competitive space, and combined with a turbulent economic outlook for the UK provides for a challenging environment for industry to navigate.
Consolidating the brewing network
“By making use of the break clause in our lease for Wychwood Brewery, we can consolidate our brewing network to achieve greater efficiency and productivity, supporting ongoing investment in our people and business.”
The brewery was taken over in 2002 by Refresh UK, a subsidiary of Marston's. Marston's then bought Refresh and Wychwood Brewery outright in 2008.
Meanwhile, last month saw Sofina Foods Europe confirm the closure of a Young’s Seafood factory in Grimsby, placing jobs at threat in the process.
A proposal to close the Marsden Road facility was made in June 2023, with the Young’s owner Sofina now confirming that operations will cease in October this year.
