Swale Ale The FREE magazine of the Swale branch of CAMRA The Campaign for Real Ale
Local brewery invests in its heritage
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s many Swale Ale readers will be aware the largest brewery in our area, and in Kent, is Shepherd Neame. As well as its major brewing arm, Shepherd Neame also own and operate a total estate of 354 pubs, comprising 44 managed pubs and 310 tenanted and leased pubs. With many of its competitors failing to invest in their tied estate and with vast numbers of pub closures nationally, it is interesting that we are currently seeing Shepherd Neame invest heavily in the refurbishment of many of its pubs. Swale Ale has reported on the great work completed at The Fountain, Sittingbourne and The Bear in Faversham to name a few. Pubs have been given traditional new hand painted signage by Eric Pollard, and often sympathetic restoration of their interiors, which is a far cry from the ‘Irish’ style pub chains of the 1990s. This investment in its tied and managed pub chain is always welcome, particularly at a time of national belt tightening, and shows a commitment to local communities. In the past year the brewery has undertaken a number of high profile acquisitions including four pubs from Enterprise Inns (The Old Neptune, Whitstable; The Old City Bar, Canterbury; The Kings Head, Deal and The Zetland Arms, Kingsdown, Deal). The brewery has also been expanding its hotel portfolio following the acquisition of two prestigious hotels in the first half of the year and a further inn purchased in February 2012. The story of Shepherd Neame pubs has not always been bright. At their AGM in 2009
Spring Issue 2013
The Three Horseshoes, Staple Street the brewery announced the sale and/or closure of 35 pubs over a two year period, and in our own area we have already had to say goodbye to the Mechanics Arms in September 2012 and The Windmill on January 2nd 2011. The question lies in what Shepherd Neame will decide to do next. See page 3
In this issue… Pubs at the extreme of Swale Pub tour: A Canterbury Tale Timothy Taylor visits Faversham A village pub walk south of Sittingbourne Trips out: all within a day of Swale Jolly boys tour to Sheppey
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