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What sets Marston's Pub Company apart from most other pub operators is our heritage.

In 1834 Britain was a global superpower. The 1830 Beer Act was revolutionising the way that ale was sold, and the Tolpuddle martyrs were laying the seeds of the trade union movement in bloody scenes of rural violence. The population of Britain was at an all-time high - at around 24 million.

Meanwhile in the industrial heartlands of England, John Marston was building his 'modern' brewery - a move that was to help the town of Burton-Upon-Trent become the brewing capital of the world. Meanwhile, in 1875 in Wolverhampton, Banks and Company had built Park Brewery. Fifteen years later three local companies merged to form The Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&DB). Over the next 100 years both Marston's and W&DB grew and developed their businesses to include pub estates which sold their quality beers.

In the early nineties W&DB acquired Hartlepool brewer and pub operator Camerons and Marston's bought pub chain Pitcher and Piano. But the 1990 Parliamentary Beer Orders meant that the brewing and pub industry was changing, so in 1999 W&DB bought Marston's and later that year acquired the Mansfield Brewery Company, swelling the pub estate to nearly 2000.

Through out the nineties W&DB was in a perfect place to capitalise on the changing needs of the pub customer, offering a wide selection of pubs across an increasing geography serving each community as its local but with a constant goal to deliver great quality and value. The pub and brewing industry continued to consolidate, with W&DB acquiring Wizard Inns in 2004, Burtonwood Pub Estate and Cumbrian based brewer and pub operator Jennings Brothers in 2005.

Since becoming Marston's PLC, Eldridge Pope (Dorset), Ringwood brewery, (Hampshire) and Wychwood brewery (Oxfordshire) have become part of the business

Today the company is the UK's largest producer of cask ale with five operating breweries in Burton, Wolverhampton, Ringwood, Cockermouth and Witney and is one of the UK's leading pub companies with over 1700 tenanted and leased pubs forming the Marston's Pub Company estate.

W&DB had a long and distinguished history which delivered today's business a quality and a heritage to be proud of. Building on this, Marston's PLC is in a perfect position to bring out the best in its people for the next generation of pub goers and drinkers, and Marston's Pub Company is proud to be an important part of that process.

Now & Ahead

Now in the 21st century, Marston's Pub Company continues to carry forward the tradition and pedigree of the companies from which it was founded - building on and improving our pubs for everyone; our communities, our staff, our clients, and our customers.