Fun Fair Brewery expands to site of new pub

Fun Fair Brewery has bought a freehold pub near Nottingham, and plans to relocate and expand its microbrewery to the site.

Last week the firm, owned by David Tizard and Abigail Cutts, opened the Chequers Inn at Elston, Notts, after extensive refurbishments.

The pub was sold for an undisclosed sum off an asking price of £260,000 by agent Christie+Co, on behalf of private owners.

Tizard founded the microbrewery in 2004 at his former freehold pub, the Wheel, at Holbrook. Since then it has doubled capacity to a five-barrel brewery at Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and is set to expand further.

"We have the space to warrant a 10 to 15-barrel brewery," said Tizard.

The two-storey pub comprises a 35-cover main bar, five-cover snug, 10-space car park, beer patio, storage shed and three-bedroom owner's accommodation.

Tizard has installed six hand-pulls, three of which will supply Fun Fair brands and three of which will provide guest beers from microbreweries.

The company's beers include the 4.7% ABV Rollerghoster, and bestselling bitter 4.5% ABV Waltzer. It also recently began brewing a 4% ABV ginger beer called Tea Cups, which Tizard said "we can't brew fast enough".

To showcase Tea Cups, Fun Fair's head brewer has built a novelty "large psychedelic teapot", through which the drink will be pumped.

Ben Freckingham, associate director at Christie+Co, said: "There is still ongoing demand from existing and prospective licensees who recognise the opportunities afforded by closed pubs, which represent good value for money in the present climate."