Malcolm Irving, owner of Portsmouth-based Irving & Co Brewers, and former brewer at Gales, has announced the closure of the business.
“It will come as no surprise that my reason for closure is a combination of a huge rise of energy prices combined with a huge rise in the commercial rent for our industrial unit,” he said on social media.
“After coming out of the tough times of the pandemic I was reasonably confident that the brewery could pootle along quite nicely, happily doing what we enjoyed doing with a view that we would plod along for at least another four or five years and approaching retirement.
“The rises in rent and energy quite simply raised our break-even points well beyond what we physically could do, even if in a tight market I could gain the extra customers.
“Over the last 16 years of our existence, Irving and Co Brewers has been a solid little traditional brewery. We have a slew of awards on the brewery wall and a firm local following.
“On a personal note, I have thoroughly enjoyed the adventure it has been, and especially the customers I have met over the years, be they landlords, drinkers at the bar, or my brewery shop customers that kept us alive during the pandemic.”
He added: “On a commercial note, the brewery still has beer for the next three or four weeks and the brewery shop will be open 3-6pm Thursdays and Fridays as normal, with the opportunity now to buy pump badges, glasses, bar towels as collectors pieces.
“Finally I’d like to thank Neil, Gill, and Mark for their hard work over the 16 years, plus all of you other folks, friends and family who have helped out.”
