Ushers of Trowbridge
Encyclopedia
Ushers of Trowbridge was a brewery
located in Trowbridge
, Wiltshire
.
In 1824, Thomas Usher and his wife Hannah acquired a small brewery in Back Street, Trowbridge
, renaming it Usher's Wiltshire Brewery. In 1844, the couples three sons joined the partnership, allowing the parents to retire in 1869. After this, the beers and brand developed a loyal following, facilitating a quick expansion of the company through the 19th century. In 1887, the partnership took over Fanshaw & Palmer of Donnington, Berkshire
. This resulted in 1889 of the registration of Usher's Wiltshire Brewery Ltd to combine the two organisations. From its date of formation to World War II
, the company acquired some 15 independent breweries and their associated public house
premises.
Post World War II
, the company acquired Conigre House and gardens in Trowbridge, then the home of the local Liberal Club
, enabling it to doubled the scale of its brewery and bottling plant.
Having dropped the apostrophe from its registered name in 1951, in 1960 the company agreed to be merged with the acquisitive Watney Mann. The assets included the brewery sites in both London (soon closed) and Trowbridge, together with 900 pubs. In 1964, the company changed its registered name to Ushers Brewers Ltd. Watney Mann itself merged with Grand Metropolitan
Hotels in 1972.
In 1990, a management buyout
occurred which created a reconstituted Ushers Brewers Ltd, together with a footprint of wholly owned smaller pubs, deemed by Grand Metropolitan to be too small or unable of redevelopment. The new company began acquiring pubs to provide a distribution network, under a holding company Innspired Pubs.
By 1999 the brewery side of the business was, in accountants speak, "not cost effective" despite running at full capacity. Subjected to an unsuccessful management buyout, the Trowbridge brewery site closed in 2000. The residual pub operator company, renamed Innspired Pubs plc, was itself was bought by Punch Taverns
in September 2004.
The former brewery equipment was sold for £1.5M to North Korea
via German
broker Uwe Oehms. Peter Ward, of brewing company Thomas Hardy Brewing and Packaging bought the plant, and arranged for a team from North Korea to travel to Trowbridge to dismantle it. It now forms the core of the Taedonggang
brewery, located just outside Pyongyang
. In 2009, its new brew Taedong River Beer made international headlines after inspiring what is thought to be North Korean television's first beer advert. Punch Taverns sold the site to developers, which part demolished and then redeveloped is now the Ushers Apartments.
Today, beers brewed under the Usher name are brewed by the Wychwood Brewery
for Refresh UK.
In the summer of 2010 Sainsburys opened its new store on the former Ushers site, its currently the only part of the site to have been developed, the other part remaining derelict.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
located in Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
In 1824, Thomas Usher and his wife Hannah acquired a small brewery in Back Street, Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
, renaming it Usher's Wiltshire Brewery. In 1844, the couples three sons joined the partnership, allowing the parents to retire in 1869. After this, the beers and brand developed a loyal following, facilitating a quick expansion of the company through the 19th century. In 1887, the partnership took over Fanshaw & Palmer of Donnington, Berkshire
Donnington, Berkshire
Donnington is a village in the civil parish of Shaw-cum-Donnington just north of the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England.Donnington Castle, a ruined medieval castle of some historical significance, is in the village. Donnington Hospital almshouses, established in 1393, are the oldest charity in...
. This resulted in 1889 of the registration of Usher's Wiltshire Brewery Ltd to combine the two organisations. From its date of formation to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the company acquired some 15 independent breweries and their associated public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
premises.
Post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the company acquired Conigre House and gardens in Trowbridge, then the home of the local Liberal Club
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, enabling it to doubled the scale of its brewery and bottling plant.
Having dropped the apostrophe from its registered name in 1951, in 1960 the company agreed to be merged with the acquisitive Watney Mann. The assets included the brewery sites in both London (soon closed) and Trowbridge, together with 900 pubs. In 1964, the company changed its registered name to Ushers Brewers Ltd. Watney Mann itself merged with Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan plc is a former United Kingdom-based company operating hotels, holiday centres, entertainment centres, public houses and casinos...
Hotels in 1972.
In 1990, a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
occurred which created a reconstituted Ushers Brewers Ltd, together with a footprint of wholly owned smaller pubs, deemed by Grand Metropolitan to be too small or unable of redevelopment. The new company began acquiring pubs to provide a distribution network, under a holding company Innspired Pubs.
By 1999 the brewery side of the business was, in accountants speak, "not cost effective" despite running at full capacity. Subjected to an unsuccessful management buyout, the Trowbridge brewery site closed in 2000. The residual pub operator company, renamed Innspired Pubs plc, was itself was bought by Punch Taverns
Punch Taverns
Punch Taverns plc is the largest pub and bar operator in the United Kingdom, with around 6,800 leased, tenanted and managed pubs. It is headquartered in the traditional brewing centre of Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire...
in September 2004.
The former brewery equipment was sold for £1.5M to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
via German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
broker Uwe Oehms. Peter Ward, of brewing company Thomas Hardy Brewing and Packaging bought the plant, and arranged for a team from North Korea to travel to Trowbridge to dismantle it. It now forms the core of the Taedonggang
Taedonggang
Taedonggang is a brand of North Korean beer brewed by the state-owned Taedonggang Brewing Company based in Pyongyang. Technically, it is actually 4 brands, though the brand known simply as "Taedonggang Beer" is that described below....
brewery, located just outside Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
. In 2009, its new brew Taedong River Beer made international headlines after inspiring what is thought to be North Korean television's first beer advert. Punch Taverns sold the site to developers, which part demolished and then redeveloped is now the Ushers Apartments.
Today, beers brewed under the Usher name are brewed by the Wychwood Brewery
Wychwood Brewery
Wychwood Brewery is an English brewery founded by Paddy Glenny in 1983, and located in the town of Witney, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom. It is owned by Refresh UK, a subsidiary of Marstons plc...
for Refresh UK.
Redevelopment
Beginning in 2009 the site in Trowbridge has been redeveloped. The smaller town site, previously site of the companies offices becoming a new housing development. While the larger site currently remaining clear ahead of its redevelopment into the "Brewery Quarter" of the town, including a new Sainsburys grocery store and new shops and homes due to open at an undisclosed date.In the summer of 2010 Sainsburys opened its new store on the former Ushers site, its currently the only part of the site to have been developed, the other part remaining derelict.