West Berkshire Brewery raises £4m for expansion and new pub

West Berkshire Brewery (WBB) has raised £4m though the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) to build a new brewery, visitor centre and pub.

Led by brewing entrepreneur David Bruce, WBB plans to satisfy growing beer volumes with a larger brewing facility, along with a visitor centre, café and a brewery shop, as well as state-of-the-art bottling, kegging and canning lines.

The firm will also purchase its first freehold pub to serve as a showcase for its beers.

The plan follows a period of sales growth for the company as well as the appointment of Bruce's partner from both the City and Capital pub companies, Clive Watson, and former Fuller's national account controller, Simon Robertson-Macleod.

Bruce said: "We are delighted to announce our plans for the next stage in the development of the West Berkshire Brewery business. We are very excited for what 2015 will behold.

"We have great ambitions for the brewery, as well as for our fantastic portfolio of brands, and are ready to take our high-quality range of British-brewed premium beers to a larger audience than ever before."

WBB's like-for-likes were up 17% in the six months to September 2014, and the company claims to have seen growth of approximately 20% each year since 2000. It therefore expects to outgrow its current brewery within two years.

In addition to the new site, WBB aims to use the new funds to purchase a freehold pub in a nearby urban location. The new money will also be used for working capital as the company seeks to strengthen its sales and marketing teams.

WBB last year raised £1.23m through offering family, friends and beer aficionados the opportunity to become shareholders.