The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has reported that pubs will soon no longer be able to stock several classic beers, including Banks’s Mild, after Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) decides to axe eight traditional British cask beers.
The beers being cut include:
- Banks’s Mild
- Banks’s Sunbeam
- Bombardier
- Eagle IPA
- Jennings Cumberland Ale
- Mansfield Dark Smooth
- Mansfield Original Bitter
- Marston’s Old Empire
- Marston’s 61 Deep
- Ringwood Boondoggle
- Ringwood Old Thumper
This decision is seen as a major blow to UK brewing, as CMBC continues to consolidate its operations. With the closure of Jennings Brewery, the sale of Eagle Brewery, and the planned closure of Banks’s Brewery, this move is expected to significantly reduce consumer choice in pubs. Despite an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority that found no negative effects from the Marston’s-Carlsberg merger, the elimination of these beers means fewer options for pubgoers.
Gillian Hough, CAMRA’s Real Ale, Cider and Perry Campaigns Director, criticized the decision, saying it reflects the power of global brewing giants to erase UK brewing heritage. She expressed hope that this might make room for local independent breweries, though she doubts that CMBC plans to prioritize that. She lamented that this loss of choice highlights the growing dominance of large brewing conglomerates over the future of British beer culture.
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