Alnwick Brewery opens shop to make up for continued closure of Northumberland pubs

Its usual income stream has been cut off by the continued closure of pubs and restaurants in Northumberland due to Tier 3 restrictions.

However, members of the public can now turn up at the Hawkhill Business Park every Friday from 11am to 5pm to purchase bottled beers, mini kegs, gift packs and more.

Phil Bell, brewery manager, explained: “We are currently in the process of building a brewery tap room where people will be able to enjoy our products in and around the brewery and beer garden.

"We’re hoping The Real Taste of Northumberland, who operate on the same business park, will help us out and we’ll be able to have live music events and give the place a bit of a buzz.

“However, this won't be ready to go until at least the spring time so we now have this area dedicated as a brewery tap shop where we’re selling our beers in kegs and bottles and some draft. We’ll also be selling our rum, mead and gins.”

The brewery has been offering a home delivery service in recent months.

During the first lockdown, it gave away 5,000 pints of beer that it had been unable to sell in pubs and restaurants.

It led to queues of thirsty punters forming outside Taste of Northumbria on Market Place and collecting from its base.

“The pub trade is 90 per cent of our custom and obviously they’re still not open so we’ve been trying to think of other ways to keep us busy,” said Phil.

"Just like our home deliveries, this is something else we can offer to people.

"They can come along and see the progress we’re making on the tap room and maybe pick up a couple of beers or a gift pack for Christmas.”

Its core range of beers that are sold in both casks and bottles include the popular Alnwick Amber, Gold and IPA, as well as the Lindisfarne Brown and Holy Island Bitter made for its sister company, Lindisfarne Ltd.

The Hawkhill Business Park is two miles outside Alnwick on the A1068 Alnmouth road.

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