Reasons why a cask brewery on the Walthamstow Beer Mile closed in March
The April/May issue of the London Drinker, the very long running magazine of the London Branches of CAMRA, has an interesting article by Christine Cryne on why Beerblefish brewery which was part of the Walthamstow Beer Mile closed in March 2025.
With the sad closure of Wild Card last Autumn, and Hackney Brewery closing its taproom at the end of March the Beer Mile is currently a bit shorter.
Beerblefish were unusual on the Beer Mile in that they specialised in cask beers often using historic recipes. Some were award winning and the standard was generally good.
The reason for the closure was in short a sign of the times rather than anything dramatic.
Takings at the tap room varied quite widely each week from good to not very good without it seems obvious reasons. Post COVID getting payment for beer sold to pubs took longer and such were cost pressures, that Beerblefish sometimes found itself undercut by competitors offering cheaper, and probably less good quality beer.
They had considered closing at the end of 2023 but gave it another year. When nothing much had improved they took advantage of a lease break. All those concerned seem to have departed for jobs elsewhere, outside brewing, for which they were already well qualified.
As above nothing dramatic but still a sad reflection on the times
London Drinker April/May 2025 for the full story
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