- JW Lees
JW Lees is a
brewery in Middleton,Greater Manchester . Lees has been ManchesterReal Ale Brewers since 1828. Its core brands are JW Lees Bitter, Golden Original, and Moonraker. It also owns and operates 170 pubs, primarily in the North West of England, with some in Wales. It is one of the few remaining independent family brewers operating in the UK today. It also owns wine distributor Willoughby's, which supplieswines and spirits to many venues across the whole of the UK.History
The
brewery was formed in 1828 when retiredcotton manufacturerJohn Lees purchased some land in Middleton. There he built Greengate Brewery, from which the company still operates. The company was renamed J.W. Lees & Co. Brewers, when John Lees' grandson, John William Lees, took over the company in 1876.In the last decade, Greengate Brewery has featured in the television show
Most Haunted due to its illustrious history, and more recently has been visited by Prince Charles.The company is family owned and operated to the present day, with several members of the sixth generation of the Lees-Jones family joining the company in the 1990s.
The future
In 2007, JW Lees launched an advertising campaign named 'Be Yourself'. The campaign is reflected in all marketing material produced by the brewery, including billboard and print advertising and their website. The aim of the campaign is to acknowledge the traditional Northern roots of the family-owned brewery.
The campaign also highlights the fact that JW Lees real ales are brewed to the strictest purity standards, and that the company has recently invested in the pubs that make up their estate. Subsequently their pubs are being recognised for their standards, with The Tandle Hill Tavern, Royton, nominated and then winning Pub of the Year at the 2007 Manchester Food & Drink Awards.
Willoughby's, their wine company, has its own illustrious heritage stemming back to 1850, and they are also looking to expand. The 14th September 2007 saw the opening of the first Willoughby's wine warehouse, in Frodsham, Cheshire. The store will sell wines by the case to the public at wholesale prices. The store will be the first in what will become a nationwide chain.
In November 2007, JW Lees launched the "Grip Glass." This is essentially a beer glass with grooves designed to fit into your hand, and it is available in most of JW Lees' pubs. Grip Glasses are also available for purchase on the JW Lees website; this is the first time the brewery has attempted any form of online retail.
Products
Lees' public houses offer a selection of draught and bottled alcoholic beverages.
Draught beer Bottled
JW Lees pubs
There are 148 Lees' pubs, primarily in the North West of England, with some in Wales. These include the [http://www.rain-bar.co.uk Rainbar] , Manchester and [http://www.the-huntsman-inn.com The Huntsman Inn] , Holmfirth.
External links
* [http://www.jwlees.com/ JW Lees Homepage]
* [http://www.jwlees.com/recruitment Run a pub in Manchester]
* [http://www.foodanddrinkfestival.com/2007/ Manchester Food & Drink Awards 2007]
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