Pints, pubs and the pandemic

The four magnificent shire horses lovingly cared for in the stables at Daniel Thwaites’ idyllic rural headquarters highlight the importance of heritage to the 214-year-old Lancashire family business.

While Gunner, Wainwright, Ribble and Drummer are a direct link to the brewer’s past and the days beer barrels were delivered to public houses by horse power, executive chairman Rick Bailey keeps his focus firmly on the future.

That includes guiding the business out of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has caused so much pain for the hospitality industry and putting it back on the path to growth.

The major impact of the pandemic and the lockdowns and restrictions it sparked was laid bare in Thwaites’ 2021 annual accounts. Turnover was down 67 per cent on the previous year at £32.2m.