Kelham Island Brewery has announced that it has brewed its last batch of the famous Pale Rider, with the business to close shortly.

Kelham Island

In a statement, the brewer said: “We would like to thank everybody who supported us over the last 32 years, especially our staff and customers.

“We have brewery tours scheduled for Saturday 7th and Saturday 14th May. These will be going ahead as planned, but no further tours will be booked in. If you have a brewery tour voucher with a code on the back, these can now be redeemed up to a value of £25 against any item on the shop on our website.

“The Fat Cat will remain open, with Kelham Island Brewery beer available on cask and in Bottles/Cans whilst stocks last.”

No reason is given for the closure, but other breweries closing have cited the pandemic and rising costs as causes.

Earlier this week, Exe Valley Brewery, in Devon, announced it would be closing soon. Describing the decision as ‘heartbreaking’, the owners said: “Despite enormous effort from everyone on the team, the reality of the current economic situation for our customers and the hospitality industry has made it impossible for us to operate profitably.

“We are obviously devastated, and have explored all the options, and done everything we can to make it work but with so much uncertainty, it has been impossible to find a long-term solution.”