ABOUT THE BREWERY
All Gates is a small pub and brewing group based in the North West. It was founded in 2006 by local licensee Ian Thorpe and local businessman David Mayhall and its first pub was the multi award winning The Anvil in Dorning Street, Wigan.
We re-established brewing in Wigan town centre after a near forty year absence, following the closure of Moorfield’s Brewery in nearby King Street in the early 1970’s. All Gates currently operate six pubs and have a policy of also stocking cask beers from other regional and micro breweries by swapping beer with similar companies and in recent years have become firmly established in local and regional real beer drinking circles.
It really all started in spring 2002 when Ian and I signed up for a course in micro brewing at St Helens College and which surprisingly we both managed to pass. Having completed the course the next obstacle was to find and locate suitable premises, which we did, close to Wigan Pier and for which planning was obtained but then our proposed landlord reneged on the deal. In summer 2003 Ian found our existing site, but it was only in September 2004 that a deal was finally done and the site purchased. Some eighteen months later after full renovation of the premises and installation of the brewing plant and new utility supplies, the kit was ready – and that’s really where our journey began.
In May 2006 we gave John Woodhead his first job in brewing with a remit to brew what he wanted, but first we sent him off to other local breweries; thank you to Dave Sweeney at Bank Top Brewery in Bolton and Keith Bott at Titanic Brewery in Stoke. John returned in July 2006 and then began to test brew. By August 2006 we had begun brewing a couple of beers on a fairly regular basis and in September we brewed Brightblade for the first time – 1 month later it won the first ever Beer Festival we entered.
We had a start and gradually sales increased and as they did that gave us an excuse to bring in another brewer – John Spedding, from Boggart Brewing Company, who initially helped out with deliveries and subsequently we added to the team with Darren Highton as a full time drayman, freeing up John Spedding to help on the brewing side and with Ridas Andruska, a Lithuanian lad as a full time assistant.
We strengthened the sales and marketing side with the addition of Rob Wright; ex Archer’s Brewery and the administration side with a young Polish lady, Katarzyna Graf. As our reputation started to increase so did our sales and within a year we had a good portfolio of beers which we were adding to with monthly specials. To help with ever increasing sales Julie Mayhall joined the Sales and Marketing team.
In early 2008 the brewery was at near full capacity. Alongside our permanent beer range we were brewing three specials a month and we were delivering all over the country in large volumes but much of which was at the expense of margin. Also in early summer 2008 our Managing Director Graham Dixon; ex Barclays Commercial Director, who had just started to get a grip of the brewery following his recruitment in March 2008 started to lose his long battle with cancer and tragically he died in September 2008.
A full appraisal of the business was needed and this took place in late 2008. The whole of the All Gates beer portfolio was reviewed and the recipes improved; the large number of monthly specials formerly brewed was stopped and we also agreed to release Rob from his role as Sales & Marketing Manager. Greater emphasis was placed on our own tied pubs, to which we had been adding and in addition the delivery areas were reviewed. The direct sales team was strengthened with the recruitment of Liane McPhelim; who was also briefed to promote brewery tours more widely. Key also was a decision that sales would not be pursued at any cost. We believed we made a quality product and for which we wanted a fair price.
Following the above review sales initially fell; but much of this by choice. However following the changes to the portfolio and business model sales again started to increase to the point that since late 2009 the brewery has been operating at full capacity and indeed since this time we have been brewing seven days a week. We are selling everything we brew, orders are now taken for sales well in advance and we only have limited availability for customers other than our own tied pubs; a good position to be in but one that is also of course creating its own problems.
Alongside the two Brewery Directors, there are now seven people involved in the day to day operation and the business is on course to brew well over half million pints during 2010; on a five barrel plant!!
GENERAL THOUGHTS
Beer is our National drink. At AllGates the quality of our products is key to our success and we want the widest possible opportunity for drinkers to enjoy them. However the tied house system which operates in the UK closes the door to many potential customers and in the past we had to travel far afield to sell our beer. However times are changing; more and more people are demanding local produce and we felt the need to consider the beer miles it takes to deliver our beer. As such we now work closely with other brewers and undertake swaps which reduce our transport costs.
We have looked closely and taken steps to reduce the amount of energy consumption in the brewery and we have always tried to conserve water by turning it into beer. We use only natural ingredients and use a process that has changed little in 200 years.
It is our view that as a business we are responsible for our future and it is one of our aims to continue to run a sustainable business; one that does more good than harm to our environment and our community. We will continue to endeavour to produce great beer and will strive to do so in an ecologically friendly way. Principally through our own tied pubs but also through other breweries and through the SIBA Direct Delivery scheme we will try and increase availability in our local area so that we can reduce beer miles still further. We will continue to support our local economy where possible, offer employment to local people and support our local community in any way we can.
So every time you go into a pub ask for a local beer and hopefully and eventually the landlord will get the message.
Cheers!
David Mayhall
