Black Country brewery goes into liquidation

BLACK Country brewery Highgate and Davenports is to close with the loss of 18 jobs.

Insolvency practitioner KJ Watkin and Co, based in Walsall, is due to meet creditors on Friday as the brewer faces its second financial crisis since September.

Peter Darcy from KJ Watkin said: “The company has gone into liquidation affecting 18 staff.

“There is no-one looking to buy the business at the moment but how it will unfold, I don’t know yet.”

The company went into administration last autumn with reported debts on unpaid tax of more than £1m.

It was sold for £80,000 to property developers Simon Toon and David Lindol.

The brewery produces Highgate Dark Mild and the Davenport range of beers.

Highgate Brewery was originally founded in 1898.  It continued for more than 40 years before it was purchased by Birmingham rival Mitchells & Butlers in 1939.

The brand was revived in 1995 when it became an independent business again following a management buy-out.

The new owners set about restoring the heritage of the brewery and established a chain of pubs in and around Walsall, where the traditional dark mild was served up to customers along with several others beers, including its famous Old Ale.

In 2000 the brewery was acquired by Aston Manor Brewery in Birmingham, brewer of Davenports.

The business was sold on to pub company Global Star in July 2007 but following a large tax bill, Global sold the business on to Messers Toon and Lindol.

Brewing continued and the company produced a number of special beers including recently, England’s Glory, brought out to coincide with the World Cup.