'Our phone has already started ringing' says Sunderland brewery after pubs' reopening confirmed

A brewery started to receive calls from pubs wanting to order beer within hours of the announcement that they could reopen from July 4.
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But the boss of Sunderland’s Maxim Brewery, producer of famed tipples such as Double Maxim, fears initial restrictions such as customers having to sign in will “cause complications” in particular for smaller bars.

Mark Anderson said: “Our phone has already started ringing with pubs wanting orders.

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“It is one step forward and it will help the bigger companies with bigger premises to space everything out and more staff.

Maxim Brewery managing director Mark Anderson is preparing to deliver to pubs again shortly.Maxim Brewery managing director Mark Anderson is preparing to deliver to pubs again shortly.
Maxim Brewery managing director Mark Anderson is preparing to deliver to pubs again shortly.

“But what about the smaller pubs or micropubs? Will they have to employ more staff to enforce the social distancing guidelines and will it be worth their while?”

He added: “What we did not want was some halfway house where the pubs could reopen but the two-metre rule was still in place.

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“By halving the social distancing, more pubs have the chance to serve more customers and it is more likely to be worth their while reopening.”

Maxim Brewery brewing director Glen Whale inspecting one of the firm's latest beers. Picture by Frank ReidMaxim Brewery brewing director Glen Whale inspecting one of the firm's latest beers. Picture by Frank Reid
Maxim Brewery brewing director Glen Whale inspecting one of the firm's latest beers. Picture by Frank Reid

With breweries needing a fortnight to brew and deliver cask beer to pubs, Maxim has already started bringing some of its seven furloughed workers back.

The brewery, founded following the demise of Sunderland’s fabled Vaux Breweries in 1999, launched a takeaway bottle service to generate revenue after pubs nationwide closed in March just prior to the coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Anderson said: “When the pubs closed overnight we lost 70 per cent of our trade and we were unsure whether we could survive or not.

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“Things were happening very quickly, we did not know about furlough at first and it wasn’t until things started to settle down that we knew whether we could manage or not.

“But by being able to offer a take home service that has enabled us to meet our overheads.”

Mini casks and trays of eight-12 bottles are available by phoning the brewery from 9.30am on (0191) 5848844 with beers then placed on tables by its back doors, at 1 Gadwall Road, Rainton Bridge, near Houghton, on Fridays and Saturdays between 10am-2pm.

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