Liverpool brewer falls into administration for a second time in over a year

Liverpool’s Love Lane Brewery has entered administration for the second time in just over a year.

However, the Love Lane Brewery Bar & Kitchen is still operating.

The brewery’s beers were sold at this summer’s British Open Golf championship when it was held at Royal Liverpool.

But Paul Stanley and Jason Greenhalgh, of Begbies Traynor, were appointed as joint administrators of Love Lane Brewery Limited yesterday (October 5).

Regional hospitality businesses and microbreweries in particular have experienced difficult trading conditions in recent times.

The pandemic and other economic challenges, including inflation, fuel price hikes and interest rate rises have hit the sector hard.

A spokesperson for Love Lane Brewery Ltd said: “Unfortunately, the challenges for Love Lane Brewery Ltd have been too great and it is with a heavy heart that we announce Love Lane Brewery Ltd has today gone into administration.

“This situation is made more frustrating after a considerable investment in the company in early 2023. Sadly, the business struggled to get back to the heights of pre-COVID sales.

“The business has made a significant impact and there are several conversations in play with potential purchasers and we would hope one of these will materialise quickly and for Love Lane products to get back on the shelves once more.”

They added: “We are all bitterly disappointed with the situation we find ourselves in but would remind people that the operation of Love Lane Brewery Bar and Kitchen will remain unaffected.”

The bar, at 62-64 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle, will continue trading and all functions will take place as normal. Customers who have made bookings are currently being contacted to confirm arrangements.

Paul Stanley, regional managing partner of Begbies Traynor, said: “This is a difficult time for the leisure and hospitality sector in general. Many small breweries have launched during the past decade and the craft beer industry was going strong until economic conditions dramatically changed.

“More recently, as the majors have introduced their own corporate versions of craft beer onto the pumps, the smaller brewers are finding it even tougher to compete and we have seen a huge rise in the number of microbrewery businesses seeking financial help.

“We have mothballed the brewery whilst a buyer is sought. We are already speaking with potential purchasers and are working proactively to make a deal happen.”

Paul Stanley and Jason Greenhalgh of Begbies Traynor have previously overseen the administrations of Liverpool Organic Brewery and Manchester-based Alphabet Brewing Company and Beatnikz Republic.

In June last year Love Lane Brewery secured investment from Cheshire retailer Nick Canning as part of a pre-pack administration after entering administration.

Canning spent 15 years at Iceland Foods, ending as joint managing director after spells as chairman of the company’s charitable foundation and its subsidiary Cooltrader.

He joined Love Lane Brewery’s founder and chief executive, Stephen Crawley, who has more than 25 years’ experience in the brewing industry including as managing director of Edinburgh’s Caledonian Brewing Company, which he left in 2013.

Work began in 2016 on transforming an old rubber factory in the Baltic Triangle into a vibrant 18,000 hectolitre brewery, capable of brewing 3.2 million pints.

The hospitality venture was launched in 2017 as H1780, in recognition of Higsons, the famous Liverpool beer which was first brewed in Liverpool in 1780. A revamped Higsons pint was one of the launchpads for the new business.

It then changed its name the following year to Love Lane Brewing.