In Good Company which brought Fourpure and Magic Rock from Lion/Kirin in 2018 has announced the closure of Fourpure’s Bermondsey Brewery and Tap. Operations will move to Magic Rock in Huddersfield.
In Good Company also owns Big Drop. Fourpure whose presence seems to be mainly cans in supermarkets applied for time to pay its debts in March 2024. Its unclear whether creditors agreed or if this means the existing Company will be wound up and started with a similar name in Huddersfield.
The move mirrors the activities of private equity company Breal who own Black Sheep in Masham, Purity, Brick and Brew By By Numbers without it perhaps being entirely clear what beer is being brewed where.
Part of the logic of craft beer was provenance- that is to be based in a community, a local area. Beer from somewhere rather than beer from anywhere. Fourpure becoming a Huddersfield brewery cuts against its Bermondsey roots, even if I’m a big fan of the former town and no fan of Sarf London. it is however the logic of capital.
The bottom line is or should be people. Apparently Fourpure’s backroom operations will remain in London but there will be job losses in the brewery and taproom. Another reminder of why being in a union is a good idea, not least if it comes to it to get better than statutory redundancy payments.
What will happen to the Bermondsey brewery, revamped in 2021 is unreported so far.
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