Blackburn brewery Thwaites set to sell beer division to rivals Marston's in £25.1 million deal

If the sale goes ahead, approximately 150 staff, based at a distribution centre in Sett End Road North, on Shadsworth Business Park, will become Marston’s employees by April 17, the Lancashire Telegraph understands.

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If approved, Thwaites’ two biggest brands, Wainwright Golden Ale and Lancaster Bomber, will be licensed to Marston’s, who have been producing the two beers at its Wolverhampton base since last year.

Thwaites boss Richard Bailey said there would be no immediate job losses at the company’s sites in Penny Street and Shadsworth Business Park.

He said the company had made the move to ‘concentrate’ on its hospitality ventures, which include more than 300 pubs and six hotels.

But he did confirm that discussions would be held with ‘a very small number’ of staff at the firm’s head office ‘further down the line’.

Mr Bailey reiterated that the brewery’s planned move to Sykes Holt, in Mellor Brook, was still ‘the best option available’ for the future of the 208-year-old business.

Under the plan a new £10 million brewery and visitor centre will be built at the Ribble Valley site.

The announcement was met with disappointment by some in East Lancashire, although Marston’s has been brewing some of Thwaites’ beers since early 2014.

Tom Stainer, head of communications at the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), said: “The Campaign for Real Ale believes that consumer choice is always reduced when breweries are acquired by larger operators and we’re very concerned about the takeover of Thwaites, a long-established and respected regional family brewer, by Marston’s.

“While Marston’s has a relatively good history of respecting brewing heritage when it has previously taken over other breweries, such as Wychwood and Jennings, CAMRA will be paying close attention to its plans for the Thwaites brands it has just acquired.

“We’d also urge Marston’s to ensure that the individual nature and taste of Thwaites’ brands are not diluted and lost as a result of this acquisition.”

Thwaites, which employs 1,459 people, will retain ownership of the craft and seasonal beers - including the Crafty Dan range - made at its iconic Star Brewery in Penny Street.

If the sale goes ahead, approximately 150 of those staff, based at a distribution centre in Sett End Road North, on Shadsworth Business Park, will become Marston’s employees, it is believed.

Mr Bailey, Thwaites’ chief executive, said: “There is no change. Jobs at our site in Shadsworth, in the field sales area, and in the town centre, will stay there.

“This part of our business fits in well with Marston’s other businesses. We have got a craft brewery in Penny Street and we will continue to brew in the middle of Blackburn.

“I would stress that this is a jobs success story. We have ensured long-term, full-time, sustainable jobs remain in Blackburn.”

Jack Straw, Blackburn’s recently retired MP, said: “I think it’s a shame that part of Thwaites’ brewing is moving to the Midlands and I hope those who work in Blackburn are not affected by the transfer or jobs.”

Last June, Thwaites revealed plans for a downsized brewery off the A59 in Mellor Brook.

Mr Bailey said: “We have bought that site now and that remains an option. We will continue to press on with plans for that. It is the best option available to us.

“We have been focusing all our efforts on the the Marston’s deal. We are going to look at the planning application. When we looked at the transport side of things there was an issue but we think we have solved that. The idea is still to make that smaller brewery just outside Blackburn. The vast majority of people are going to stay in their roles.

“We are going to talk to some people in the head office team but not for some months to come. It will be a small number. I can’t give you a precise number.”

The two products in question, the award-winning Wainwright Golden Ale and Lancaster Bomber, will continue to bear the Thwaites logo.

Nigel Evans, the Conservative candidate for Ribble Valley in the upcoming General Election, said it was ‘vitally important’ that Thwaites continues to brew beer in East Lancashire.

Mr Evans said: “The sale of these two Thwaites brands will cause alarm among staff and beer drinkers.

Thwaites has a dedicated following.”

Mr Bailey said Thwaites would ‘redeploy’ the £25.1 million in its hospitality ventures, which include more than 300 pubs and six hotels. .”

Labour’s General Election candidate for Blackburn, Kate Hollern, who stepped down as leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council on Monday, said: “I’m disappointed that we couldn’t find them a site in Blackburn for the rest of the production.”

Her Conservative opponent, Bob Eastwood, said: “I’m bitterly disappointed that the council and its leadership haven’t done more to encourage Thwaites to keep more of its production in Blackburn.”