Derbyshire-based Raw Brewing Company has secured two leasehold sites under a new pub venture Raw Pubs Limited, managing director David Hemstock has told M&C Report.
The company has taken the Brown Cow in Mansfield on a lease from Everards under the Project William scheme, which gives the Derbyshire company freedom to stock its own beers. Raw has also opened Enterprise Inns’ Butchers Arms in Woodsetts, Nottinghamshire, on a partially tied lease.
The Raw branding also features on two Chesterfield-based pubs - the Arkwright Arms in Duckmanton and the White Swan in St Mary’s Gate - which are owned and run by John and Kathy Chadwick, two Raw Brewing Company shareholders.
Hemstock told M&C Report: “I think ideally if we could get another two within [Raw Pubs Limited] it would take us up to four, or six in total, which would give us quite a nice base for the brewery expansion.”
Hemstock said he had hoped to double the size of the brewery but said the growth of microbreweries is “putting a squeeze on the whole market”. The plan now is to increase the number of brew runs per week from four to five or six.
He said he also hoped to be able to buy a freehold at some point.
Hemstock added: “There’s a lot of exciting times ahead for the industry, especially as large businesses are getting on board with these part-tied deals.”
