Marston's Brewery Closure: The £6 Million Question Carlsberg Hasn't Answered

Published 10 October 2026 | The Hopper Reviews

Carlsberg Britvic is proposing to close Marston's historic brewery in Burton upon Trent in summer 2027, putting approximately 310 jobs at risk. But just two years ago, the company announced more than £6 million of investment in the same brewery. So what changed?

That's one of the central questions I'm investigating at The Hopper Reviews.

I've contacted Carlsberg Britvic, CAMRA, Marston's PLC, trade unions, the local MP and two councils in an effort to establish the facts behind the announcement.

And on Monday 12 October, I'm due to interview CAMRA's National Chairman, Ash Corbett-Collins, to discuss the proposed closure and what it means for British brewing.

What's happening to Marston's Brewery?

On 8 October 2026, Carlsberg Britvic announced a proposal to close Marston's Brewery and its main logistics operation in Burton upon Trent.

The proposed closure would take place in summer 2027, subject to consultation.

The brewery traces its history back to 1834, when John Marston established his brewing business in Burton. It moved to its present site on Shobnall Road in 1898.

Carlsberg says the proposal reflects declining demand for traditional cask ale, claiming UK cask volumes have more than halved in less than a decade.

The company intends to retain certain beer brands, including Hobgoblin and McEwan's, while seeking new owners for some of its other cask and regional brands.

Importantly, the proposal concerns the brewing and logistics operations, not the separately operated Marston's pub estate.

What happened to the £6 million investment?

This is where the story becomes particularly interesting.

In October 2024, Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company announced plans to invest more than £6 million in the Burton brewery.

The announcement included refurbishment of its cask ale production facilities and improvements intended to support contemporary craft brewing.

The company also described a long-term ambition to establish Burton as a national centre for craft beer and traditional ale brewing.

Two years later, the same brewery faces closure.

That doesn't automatically mean anything improper has happened. Market conditions, costs and commercial strategies can change.

But it raises legitimate questions.

How much of that investment was actually completed? What was the money spent on? When did closure become a serious consideration? And why did the company's plans change so dramatically?

I've put these questions directly to Carlsberg Britvic.

Carlsberg Britvic responds to my enquiry

I contacted the company's press office with 12 questions covering investment, production, commercial viability, employment, brewing heritage and alternatives to closure.

Vicki Baker, Head of Client Experience at communications agency Cirkle, responded on behalf of Carlsberg Britvic.

She explained that the company's current priority is the people directly affected by the proposal and that it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.

I respect that employees and their families must be a priority.

However, the response leaves my questions about the investment and the company's longer-term plans unanswered.

I'll continue seeking clarification as the consultation progresses.

CAMRA calls the proposal an 'absolute disgrace'

The Campaign for Real Ale has strongly criticised the announcement.

Its National Chairman, Ash Corbett-Collins, has expressed concern about the loss of brewing heritage, the impact on Burton and the growing concentration of Britain's brewing industry.

CAMRA has also raised the possibility of independent brewers taking over historic brands or brewing operations.

This is particularly relevant because other traditional British breweries have faced closure in recent years, including Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton.

But is the decline of cask ale really enough to explain what's happening? And could Marston's Brewery remain viable under different ownership?

Those are questions I intend to put directly to CAMRA.

An interview with CAMRA's National Chairman

On Monday 12 October, I'm scheduled to speak with Ash Corbett-Collins about the proposed closure.

We'll discuss the future of British cask ale, the brewery's historical importance, the commercial arguments being made and whether there is a realistic prospect of saving brewing operations in Burton.

I'll also be asking what practical action CAMRA believes should be taken.

This isn't intended to be a conversation in which everyone simply agrees that closing an old brewery is terrible.

I want to establish what can realistically be done, what evidence exists and where responsibility lies.

What about the 310 employees?

Behind the headlines are approximately 310 people whose livelihoods could be affected.

The proposed closure remains subject to consultation, and the final outcome has not yet been determined.

I've contacted trade union representatives and local political authorities to establish what support is being considered and whether alternatives to closure are being explored.

Staffordshire County Council has publicly urged Carlsberg Britvic to examine every option for maintaining its presence in Burton.

Whatever happens, the workforce deserves clarity about its future.

Have your say: What would you ask CAMRA?

I'm inviting viewers and readers to contribute questions ahead of Monday's interview.

Perhaps you want to know whether cask ale is really in terminal decline, whether another brewer could rescue Marston's, what will happen to traditional beer brands, or why investment was announced so recently.

What would YOU ask CAMRA's National Chairman about the proposed closure of Marston's Brewery?

Leave your question in the comments.

I have limited interview time, so I can't promise to ask every question, but I'll consider as many as possible.

What happens next?

This investigation is ongoing.

I'm awaiting further responses from the organisations I've contacted, and I'll update this article as new information becomes available.

I'll also share details of my interview with CAMRA once it's completed and the resulting video is ready.

My position is straightforward: the proposed loss of a historic brewery deserves proper scrutiny, but that scrutiny must be based on evidence rather than speculation.

And right now, the question that keeps coming back is this:

How do you go from announcing more than £6 million of investment in a brewery to proposing its closure just two years later?

That's what I'm trying to find out.

Hopper out!

The Hopper Reviews is an independent UK beer channel covering beer, breweries, pubs, industry developments and consumer investigations.