Under the proposal, Marston’s Brewery and its main logistics operation in Burton-upon-Trent would cease operations in summer 2027. The plans are subject to consultation with employees and other affected stakeholders.
Carlsberg Britvic said it intends to retain several major ale brands, including Hobgoblin, McEwan’s and Brooklyn. The company will explore options for transferring ownership of its remaining cask and regional ale brands to new operators.
Carlsberg Britvic chief executive Paul Davies acknowledged the potential impact on employees, saying: “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.
Focus on changing demand
Davies said the decision reflected the company’s need to align its portfolio with current consumption patterns and areas of rising demand—developments that mirror wider food and beverage industry trends and food and drink consumer trends.
“It is my role to ensure Carlsberg Britvic’s multi-beverage portfolio is focused where consumers are today, and where customer demand is growing.
“That said, smaller ale brands are much loved by select consumers, and we will do everything we can to ensure they thrive under more specialist or local ownership in the future.
“Marston’s Brewery, its history and legacy in Burton-upon-Trent are iconic, and our teams there are true experts in ale.
“Their skill, craft and knowledge have shaped the industry for generations, just as our logistics teams have always delivered exemplary customer service. This proposal, therefore, is 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 brewery and primary logistics site are expected to remain operational throughout the transition while the company develops its plans and completes the consultation process.
Davies added: “As and when key decisions are taken over the coming months, we will share further information with the industry, but always with our colleagues first.”
Investment plans overturned
Carlsberg Britvic was established in January 2025 after Carlsberg completed its £3.3bn acquisition of soft drinks producer Britvic. The deal brought Britvic’s UK business together with Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, creating a broader beverage group.
The proposed closure comes only two years after the former Carlsberg Marston’s business announced an investment of more than £6m in the Burton brewery. At the time, the company planned to develop the facility into a national hub for craft beer and traditional ale production.
The latest proposal also follows the closure of several other breweries operated by the business. These include Jennings in Cumbria, Wychwood in Oxfordshire, Ringwood in Hampshire and Banks’s in Wolverhampton. The consolidation reflects broader food manufacturing trends, including pressure to improve production efficiency and focus investment on high-demand categories.
In January 2024, Carlsberg Marston’s also confirmed plans to decommission the four remaining sets of the historic Burton Union brewing system. The equipment had traditionally been used to ferment Marston’s Pedigree ale and represented an important part of Burton’s brewing heritage.
Some of the historic equipment has since found new homes. Thornbridge Brewery in Derbyshire and Epochal in Glasgow each received brewing heritage assets, while another Burton Union set was retained at the Burton site.
The proposed closure highlights the continuing tension between heritage production methods and the commercial demands shaping modern food processing technology, beverage manufacturing and distribution. Companies across the sector are reassessing their operating models in response to food and beverage industry trends, changing food distribution trends and evolving customer expectations.
For the ale category, the decision also underscores the challenges created by falling cask volumes, even as specialist producers and independent operators continue to attract loyal drinkers. Brand owners and potential buyers will need to balance authenticity, production capability and route-to-market investment while responding to food and drink sustainability expectations, food and drink regulations, developments in food and drink packaging and changing approaches to food and drink marketing.
The future ownership of the affected regional and cask brands remains undecided. Carlsberg Britvic said it would provide further updates as the consultation progresses, with employees receiving information before the wider industry.