‘Absolute disgrace’: Shock as Marston’s brewery in Burton upon Trent to be shut by owner Carlsberg

The Marston’s brewery in Burton upon Trent is set to be shut down nearly two hundred years after the company started making beer in the town.

In a bitter blow to the British beer industry, owner Carlsberg Britvic said it plans to close the Staffordshire site next summer as UK drinkers are turning their backs on cask ale.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) slammed the move as an ‘absolute disgrace’ and said it showed that the beer powerhouse did not care about Britain’s drinkers.

Carlsberg Britvic chief executive Paul Davies said the ‘stark reality’ was that volumes were falling in the UK and he wanted to focus the business ‘on where customer demand is growing’.

He added that the proposal was ‘by no means a reflection on any of our people, and every effort will be made to help them through this period of uncertainty’.

The site employs 310 workers.

John Marston first started his brewery company in Burton in 1834, before relocating to the current brewery site on Shobnall Road in 1898.

Mr 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.’

He added: ‘Marston’s Brewery, its history and legacy in Burton upon Trent are iconic, and our teams there are true experts in ale.’

The business will keep its major ale brands, including Hobgoblin, McEwan’s and Brooklyn, but plans to sell its smaller names.

Danish giant Carlsberg combined with mixer maker Britvic in a £3.3billion deal in 2024. It also bought out Marston’s 40 per cent stake in the Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company for £206million.

Camra chairman Ash Corbett-Collins, who grew up in Burton, said: ‘This announcement is an absolute disgrace, and the latest in a string of actions that show how little they care about our brewing heritage or the nation’s drinkers.

‘However, we do agree with Carlsberg on one thing. The time is right to think about alternative, independent, brewers who are willing to become custodians of Carlsberg’s cask brands and will finally do the beers the justice they deserve.’