tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post9145826064573787906..comments2024-03-28T12:16:58.318+00:00Comments on Paul's Beer & Travel Blog: Old Family Brewers of Britain. Part Eight - Ridley's of Hartford EndPaul Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-58362000124997465622022-08-30T18:24:35.002+01:002022-08-30T18:24:35.002+01:00As a Ridley Tenant at the time, I recall Wooden Ca...As a Ridley Tenant at the time, I recall Wooden Casks were phased out during g 85/86.<br />I later joined the Brewery in 1997 as a Free Trade Salesman and in 1998 became the Tied Trade Development Manager. Some said Poacher turned Gamekeeper, I couldn't possibly comment!!<br />It was a very sad day in Early 2005 when the GK Team turned up on a Monday morning. We were all let down to some degree, at age 54 I was grateful for a job with the new owners. Far to many were made redundant.<br />I was made a Trade Quality Manager, which involved travelling the whole country promoting Best Practices to all areas of the retail trade. But it was never the same, I was and still am a Ridley Man through and through!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-27056374959379315862020-08-23T10:37:26.310+01:002020-08-23T10:37:26.310+01:00Nice to have some history about the Ridley Brewery...Nice to have some history about the Ridley Brewery. A sign of the company is on my restaurant wall i Lönneberga Sweden. Is it possible to ad a picture here of the T.D Ridley & Sons breweryLönnebergaboahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10809775731670043505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-51265915281925901852019-08-31T10:03:26.067+01:002019-08-31T10:03:26.067+01:00Thank you Philip. Nice to hear from someone who wo...Thank you Philip. Nice to hear from someone who worked at Ridley's - especially as Head Brewer!<br /><br />Sorry for my late reply, but I don't often re-visit my old posts and it was only because I was looking for some pertinent material relating to the recent takeover of Greene King, that I looked back at this one.<br /><br />Good luck in your new role as brewery consultant.Paul Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-5603264304085097662018-11-05T10:25:14.737+00:002018-11-05T10:25:14.737+00:00Paul, I have just come across your piece on Ridley...Paul, I have just come across your piece on Ridleys. I was the last of the Head Brewers at Ridleys, from 1999 to 2005. I am glad that you enjoyed the trip, the beer and the hospitality at the Compasses. A "Huffer" and a pint of IPA was a lunchtime treat for me when entertaining visitors. I have been through a few more breweries since then and I am now starting out as a freelance brewery consultant in the West Country.Philip Downeshttp://linkedin.com/in/the.brewernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-27598191880709230562015-04-10T20:54:41.211+01:002015-04-10T20:54:41.211+01:00Yes, a real shame that Ridley’s closed. In a way t...Yes, a real shame that Ridley’s closed. In a way their story reminds me of that of King & Barnes, who ended up in a similar, under-capitalised situation. The board went cap-in-hand to Shepherd Neame who promised, at the time, to keep the K&B brewery open. Unfortunately, Hall & Woodhouse stepped in with a higher offer, which the board accepted. There was no promise to continue brewing at Horsham from Badger, and so the brewery sadly closed, shortly after the takeover.<br /><br />Nick, I remember reading somewhere that Ridley’s stuck with wooden casks for quite some time. I don’t remember seeing any though when we toured the brewery in 1990.<br />Paul Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09678639237696546268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-69490512972903968582015-04-10T15:39:19.047+01:002015-04-10T15:39:19.047+01:00I was brought up in Essex and after my parents mov...I was brought up in Essex and after my parents moved to Braintree in '74, my visits home from university often involved Ridley's pubs. PA was a superb beer. I was also fortunate enough to visit the brewery on business (they hosted a meeting for me on beer analysis) which involved lunch in the Compasses. My colleague who was driving was not impressed, and the amount of work done after lunch was quite limited, but everyone enjoyed it. I also had 2 kils of Ridley's for my first wedding - my ex-wife's family were only 3-4 miles away. Wooden kils, 1 of PA and one of Hartford End, a superb stronger beer from the mid-80s. This latter was spirited away, half-full, from the reception by some work colleagues and apparently ended up in the staff club room at work for a few days until emptied. Nick Boleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-57715532348832162192015-04-08T14:56:02.510+01:002015-04-08T14:56:02.510+01:00My first pint of Ridley's bitter cost 17 pence...My first pint of Ridley's bitter cost 17 pence. I remember it well.<br />Barely 6 years later the price rose to over 50p. I left the UK and sought my fortune elsewhere. My sympathies to those who were betrayed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722137562852954269.post-31849882778177025992015-04-08T08:44:30.820+01:002015-04-08T08:44:30.820+01:00Organised a British Guild of Beer Writers trip the...Organised a British Guild of Beer Writers trip there in 2004, when Dave Wickett came along as Ridleys were brewing Pale Rider for him to help meet with demand, driving through the countryside from Chelmsford I turned a bend and there it was, a magnificent building in the middle of nowhere it seemed. One of the best positions I’ve ever seen a brewery in — pubs we visited were undercapitalised though so it wasn’t a surprise when it was sold. Adrian Tierney-Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05421802854011395300noreply@blogger.com