Redruth brewery buys four pubs

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The Keltek Cornish Brewery has embarked on an ambitious expansion plan starting with the acquisition of four Cornish village pubs.

The Redruth-based brewer has invested more than £1.6 million to purchase the Coppice Inn at Lanner, the Robartes Arms in Illogan, the London Inn at Summercourt and the Fox & Hounds in Scorrier.

Keltek MD Stuart Heath (centre) behind the bar at the London Inn
Keltek MD Stuart Heath (centre) behind the bar at the London Inn

With pubs across the country closing on an almost daily basis, Keltek founder Stuart Heath says it’s time to launch a fightback and help to re-establish local pubs at the heart of their communities.

“Pubs have always been a central part of my life,” he said. “Whenever I’ve needed anything from a plumbing job done to having my car fixed, in the past there’s always been someone from the pub I knew and trusted.

“I can imagine a much emptier life without a local pub and many communities have been losing theirs. The idea of celebrating and supporting local pubs which really serve a key role in their surrounding community is very important to me.”

Heath says Keltek will be taking “a landlord-friendly approach” to supplying the pubs.

“Although the pubs are tied to our brand,” he said, “we’ll be selling our real ales to our tied estate at a similar competitive price to those at which we sell to free houses and clubs.

“This will allow our landlords to be both very competitive and make a sensible and reasonable profit on their beer sales. Beer swaps with other breweries up country are another way in which we can keep prices competitive whilst offering a wider choice of ales in our pubs.”

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