Manchester brewer puts Chorlton outpost on the market in company 'reshape'
Any independent business owner can testify that when unfortunate events occur, they usually do so in threes and at the same time.
So it is for renowned Manchester brewery, Marble, which looks set to lose their head brewer, their Chorlton boozer and, potentially, a trading standards dispute.
The Green Quarter-based brewer - which has been producing a medley of quality local brews for the past twenty years (originally from the back room of their Marble Arch pub) - have just announced that head brewer, James Kemp, is to leave the company. Kemp, or 'JK' as he's known in the industry, is to join New Zealand-based brewer, Yeastie Boys, in a newly formed ‘Brewzerker’ role.
Meanwhile, a company 'reshape' sees Marble's Chorlton venue, Marble Beerhouse, put up for sale (£175,000 leasehold). The former bottle shop on Manchester Road has been transformed by Marble into a comfy, 60-cover hideaway with beam ceilings and exposed brickwork, much enjoyed by local beer lovers. However, Marble director, Jan Rogers, said the company was looking to rethink its pub estate to 'fit in with plans'.
Rogers told Confidential: "We are blown away by the outpouring of support for the Beerhouse, and for Marble Brewery.
"We have been viewing several potential sites for new brewery premises, and doing loads of research into new brewery equipment, and we are not ruling out any options at this time."
The loss of their head brewer and the Chorlton venue come amid an ongoing dispute with Trading Standards, following a 'silly' complaint over the sale of their 'Pint' session ale in 500ml cans (68ml short of a pint measure). Rogers has called the process a 'bureaucratic nightmare'.
Despite the turbulent start to 2018, Marble’s steadfast events and communications manager, Hannah Davidson, said: “We’ll be here as long as Manchester is.”
And with, according to Rogers, "exciting changes" afoot, the future of Marble Brewery looks as bright and clear as a pint of their Manchester Bitter.
Marble Beerhouse is the latest Chorlton bar to become available, coming hot on the heels of the closure of Oddest Bar on Wilbraham Road, alongside its sister venues, Odd Bar and The Blue Pig (read full story here).
