A HISTORIC brewery, which operated for nearly 200 years, is set to reopen this summer after being axed from the pumps.
Jennings, a beloved brewery in Cockermouth, Cumbria, was closed in November 2022 by then-owners Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC), citing economic pressures.
But now, local couple Kurt and Rebecca Canfield have purchased the site and are bringing the iconic brewery back to life.
Chris France, managing director of the new firm, told the BBC: “If all goes well, the site should be producing beer again by the summer.”
Rebecca Canfield, owner of Wine and the Wood, a local wine firm, expressed her excitement, saying: “As lifelong residents of west Cumbria, we cherished the brewery and its beer.
“We are delighted to bring Jennings back to the local area.”
The Canfields are embarking on a careful restoration of the site.
Kurt Canfield, head of local engineering firm Delkia, explained that “the building needs critical repairs,” but they plan to enhance the site while respecting its listed status.
“The heritage is incredible – 196 years of brewing,” Kurt said.
“It’s synonymous with Cockermouth. It’s part of the community, and we’ve got our own vision so we can shape it.”
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Farewell to The Thornwood: Glasgow’s Community Pub Closes” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6368398091112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The acquisition, which includes the rights to the Jennings brand and recipes, has already led to the creation of three jobs, with plans to hire six more, including a head brewer.
In November, CMBC announced it would stop selling Jennings Cumberland Ale in cask or keg format, a move that had real ale fans up in arms.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) slammed the decision as “another example of a globally owned business wiping out UK brewing heritage.”
CMBC had also announced that it would cease selling some of its classic beers, including Banks’s Mild and Jennings Cumberland Ale, over Christmas 2024, with plans to focus on newer and more profitable brews.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D105600%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]While bottled versions of Jennings beers will continue to be sold by Carlsberg until March, the rights to the brand will officially transfer to the Canfields.
“We’ll be selling the beer in bottles and casks to pubs,” said France.
The historic brewery, founded in 1828 as a family-run concern, originally located in Lorton, moved to Cockermouth in 1874 as it outgrew its old premises.
Now, with the Canfields at the helm, this piece of brewing history is set for a fresh start.
