New bosses bring home the ale

The famous Enville Brewery has been taken over by a new team of real ale enthusiasts – who revealed today they plan to launch a home delivery service ready for Christmas.

Pub founder Will Constantine-Cort has decided to take retirement and the existing backers of the business near Stourbridge have bought him out. New directors Malcolm Braham, Jerry Hedges, Peter Isherwood and Owen Lawson, all experienced businessmen, have long been fans of Enville Ale and helped Mr Constantine-Cort finance expansion of the brewery in 2003.

Mr Hedges, who himself took early retirement this summer from his job as managing director of Press Computer Systems at Albrighton, said: "Following Will's decision to retire we were delighted to have the opportunity to secure the future for the brewery."

He and his colleagues have now teamed up with the head brewer, Tony Garrington, and his wife Lynn, the brewery manager, to help produce and market their extensive range of real ales.

Mr Hedges said the new owners wanted to focus on "consistency, quality, and customer service" and were already talking to major pub companies such as Punch, Enterprise Inns and Wetherspoons with the aim of supplying them with Enville beers.

He added: "The busy Christmas period is only a few weeks away.

"This year we will be offering a choice of real ales in 18, 36 and 72- pint containers locally delivered or collected from the brewery.

"We will also be offering an emergency "taxi top-up" service for any local landlord who has the misfortune to run out of the region's favourite beer over the festive period."

The news of Enville moving into home delivery comes the day after Walsall's Highgate Brewery revealed its plans to rebrand its pub chain as Davenports, the name of the famous home-delivered Birmingham beer, and outlined plans for small trials next year of re-introducing home delivery.

Mr Hedges said: "Many of the big supermarket chains have introduced a home delivery service.

"People want to be able to have a drink without driving and, of course, all those smokers who like beer don't want to be standing outside the pub for a cigarette during the winter.

"This way they can drink real ale at home and smoke as well."

Enville is still putting the finishing touches to its home delivery plans, said Mr Hedges, but currently the plan is to charge £30 for an 18-pint box, £45 for a 36-pint box and £75 for a 72-pint firkin with an additional deposit for the aluminium barrel.

Enville Brewery was founded 14 years ago by Mr Constantine-Cort who took up brewing after being made redundant from his job as head of design at Royal Brierley Crystal in 1991.

The brewery's famous Enville Ale, made with honey, is based on an original recipe dating back to 1850.

It originates from Mr Constantine-Cort's great-great-aunt, who came from the Cumbria area.

The firm has gone on to be one of the most respected smaller breweries in the country, with its beers featuring in a string of local pubs.

For more details on the beer and the home delivery service, visit the website at www.envilleales.com