Harvey's Brewery to be sold?

[Skintagain 1983]

No No No How can this be?

My 2 favourite breweries going in the same week?

see link below

http://www.northstandchat.biz/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67602&highlight=brewery

 

[Monkey Man]

Very dubious about this one. Harveys is the most fiercely independent brewers I know and they're performing well. Can't see them selling up. I know Miles Jenner, I'll phone him on Monday to check where this has come from.

 

[dougdeep]

Can't we put in a bid?

 

[Brovion]

Very dubious about this one. Harveys is the most fiercely independent brewers I know and they're performing well. Can't see them selling up. I know Miles Jenner, I'll phone him on Monday to check where this has come from.

Please do. We cannot allow this much-loved institution and precious Sussex symbol to fall into foreign hands. I personally pledge to double, nay, triple, my intake of Harvey's. Tell him you can raise an army prepared to fight for Harvey's indepdendence, I'll be dead in my cold cold grave before I see the hated flag of Shepherd Neame flying over Lewes. To the barricades!

 

[chip]

Excellent. I think this would make a wonderfull site for several hundred low cost housing units to accomodate asylum seekers and transient workers.

Isn't this called progress?

 

[JSD Albion]

Very dubious about this one. Harveys is the most fiercely independent brewers I know and they're performing well. Can't see them selling up. I know Miles Jenner, I'll phone him on Monday to check where this has come from.

This is too important to wait till Monday. Ring him NOW!

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

No No No How can this be?

My 2 favourite breweries going in the same week?

see link below

http://www.northstandchat.biz/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67602&highlight=brewery

Is Harviestoun to be kept brewing or will it suffer the same fate as Maclay's? Know anything, Skint?

I suppose the only positive side is that SN wanted to take over K and B and promised to keep brewing in Horsham, but some family member held out for more money and Badger bid higher. Unfortunately I suppose the CAMRA Press Office will be shut at the moment. Oh dear, this will have to be reported at the Tap today

 

[Skintagain 1983]

Is Harviestoun to be kept brewing or will it suffer the same fate as Maclay's? Know anything, Skint?

Check the link to the Alloa Advertiser story

http://www.alloaadvertiser.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=809&format=html

 

[mona]

It doesn't matter who owns the brewery as long as it continues to brew its beer properly. If Shepherd& Neame decide to sell off the brewery and develop the land there is a lot that Lewes DC could do to save Lewes's greatest product. Unfortunately they are only interested in closing down the county's top football club who don't play on their patch anyway.
So, there you go. In five years time no Albion and no Harveys.
A brave new world with all of us paying tax to subsidise the London Olympics and the stadium site covered with student halls of residence.

 

[Ken Newbury]

... to Shepherd Neame.




RUMOUR.

Anyone know anything?

That's all we need, three pints of Harveys after the game is the only thing that calms me down enough to go home!

I'm concerned about the similarities to Harveys now and the Albion a few years ago;

Both being "sold off" by their owners with no regard for their customers/fans

Both being moved to the wasteland known as Kent

Both products going downhill with no possibility of being able to recreate their former excellent condition

When they do eventually return to Sussex they are a mere shadow of what they used to be.

I hope it's not true.

 

[Monkey Man]

Some thoughts.

1. Harveys gets periodical calls from the remaining regional breweries about possible deals. They've always said no.

2. Sheps is an aggressive business that wants to get bigger. It has shareholders to answer to. It was Sheps that first suggested a deal with King & Barnes ... their offer destabilised the business and was regarded as hostile. That's why the K&B boad went out of its way, once it became clear shareholders were restless, to seek a deal elsewhere. They went to Hall & Woodhouse.

3. It would be weird if Sheps did not call Harveys from time to time about a sale, or a form of trading agreement. I think Harveys is doing well enough to turn down an offer for the business.

4. If Sheps were to get its hands on Harveys, you can forget about brewing in Lewes. The brewery might survive for a year or so, to avoid an outcry, but there would be the inevitable "review" and a "reluctant decision" to move brewing to Faversham. Then there would be a range review and if you're lucky, Best, Armarda and a couple of seasonals might be retained, brewed with different water, probably different yeast, in different fermentation vessels and by different people. In other words, Harveys might taste worse, or better, but it wouldn't be the Harveys we know today.

But relax. I don't think this is even on the table. My suspicion is that someone has heard about the Harviestoun sale and wrongly assumed it was Harveys. Just a theory.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Two related rumours:-

1. The source of this story about the Shepherd Neame takeover is connected to Shepherd Neame.

2. To meet demand Shepherd Neame already do some brewing on behalf of Harveys.



These are GENUINE rumours. I haven't made them up. But I have no inside knowledge and no relatives with close connections to anyone who might be in a position to know someone.

 

[Hunting 784561]

What was the story on the Greene King / Harveys situation a year or two ago ?

The (unsubstantiated) version I heard was that Harveys had the opportunity to take over some Greene King pubs, but chose not to, and consequently the whole thing was turned round on them, and Harveys ended up losing several of their own outlets.

The implication was that whilst Harveys make a damn fine pint of Ouse Water, their business acumen was slightly lacking.

Could be a load of bull crap I know, but would be interesting to know, especially given this latest rumour...

 

[Sonic]

God I hope this isn't true.
Harveys Best got the gold medal in the Best Bitter category at last year's Great British Beer Festival. What more reason do you need to keep it going, and keep it as it is. It's the best and that's official.

 

[Sonic]

The implication was that whilst Harveys make a damn fine pint of Ouse Water, their business acumen was slightly lacking.

I would have to agree with that part. Harveys is a damn fine pint and very popular locally. I was in the Harveys Shop one day when a man came in asking where he could buy their bottled beers in Sussex. He was told that not many places want to stock it because Harveys insist on a deposit on the bottles to get them back. If it's that popular, surely it's worth finding a way to sell it without the deposit. Stubborn buggers.

 

[Bluejuice]

This is worse news than the 2-1 reverse yesterday.

Harveys Old is THE nicest ale to be sold in the world and if it were to go I don't know how I would carry on

 

[Biscuit]

So Richie and Roz eh?

Nothing will come of it. Harveys have resisted take overs before. They'll do it again.

Best and Old is going nowhere..(Well Old will be, its almost out of season but thats different).

 

[Lokki 7]

Is nothing in this life sacred? Please god let this be bollocks.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

Deposits on the bottles is good I buy 500ml blue label and tom paine, we get a credit on collected bottles which means normally Harveys works out the most cost effective plus their customer service is good and have never had a problem with deliveries!

On past experience on the owners passion for brewing in Lewes and the tradition of Harveys I cant se them selling unless the books are looking very bad.

 

[Monkey Man]

I would have to agree with that part. Harveys is a damn fine pint and very popular locally. I was in the Harveys Shop one day when a man came in asking where he could buy their bottled beers in Sussex. He was told that not many places want to stock it because Harveys insist on a deposit on the bottles to get them back. If it's that popular, surely it's worth finding a way to sell it without the deposit. Stubborn buggers.

I promise you Harveys is doing very well despite its suspicion and fear of the supermarkets and off-trade in general. A lot of breweries have done well out of the big grocers (eg Fuller's) but others are struggling to make it pay due to the high cost of servicing those accounts. Harveys may seem backward in their thinking but they are motoring along nicely while so many regionals have closed. They have a formula, and it works.