Last orders for brewery over rising costs

A brewery owner says he is calling last orders and shutting the business due to rising costs.

Thurstons Brewery in Horsell, Surrey, says taps are to run dry, with its current stock the last to be created at the brewery before it closes.

Brewery owner John Mintram, who also owns The Crown pub next door, told Radio Surrey: "Our plan was to expand but that is not going to happen.

"Covid came along but it's just too much now with the gas and taxes. It's all getting too expensive."

He added: "People are feeling the squeeze - you can't sell £8 or £9 pints."

Thurstons first opened in 2012 and moved next to The Crown in 2014, operating a 4.5 barrel plant brewing a range of local beers.

Its beers are sold to local pubs in Surrey, but Mintram said the brewery had struggled with larger chain pubs where deals to supply the larger companies were limited.

Mintram said The Crown would remain open after the brewery closed and the last of the brewery's ales, bitters and stout would be served exclusively at the pub.

Statistics from the British Beer and Pub Association released earlier this month show that 161 pubs closed in the first three months of 2026 - a rate of nearly two a day.

Pubs and hospitality venues across the UK have been under increased pressure in recent years, which has been attributed to increased labour costs, rising business rates and shifting consumer habits.

A government spokesperson said it was "backing Britain's pubs" including £10m in support to help venues.

It added: "This comes on top of capping corporation tax, cutting alcohol duty on draught pints and six cuts in interest rates, benefiting businesses in every part of Britain."

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