Shepherd Neame has been named brewery of the year in the new edition of The Good Pub Guide.
Explaining their decision, the guide’s authors offered particular praise for the principled way in which the company responded to the pandemic. “In order to help protect employees, licensees, and the company during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, the directors took a temporary 20% pay cut, suspended rent receipts, cancelled the shareholder dividend, and ceased all non-contractual capital expenditure in the brewery and throughout the pub estate.”
They were also impressed by the firm’s sustainability practices, and its efforts to attract ‘the beer-curious drinker’ with its Cask Club initiative and contemporary Whitstable Bay and Bear Island ranges.
Shepherd Neame chief executive, Joanthan Neame, said: “This has been an immensely challenging year, so I am incredibly proud that the creativity, the spirit, and the resilience shown by our team members during the past months has been recognised with this award.
“This achievement, along with the many messages of goodwill that we have received, and the overwhelming support that shown towards our licensees and our pubs in recent months, make it a year to be proud of.”
