Carlsberg is to close the historic Marston's Brewery in Burton upon Trent, putting 310 jobs at risk

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026 · last updated 9 October 2026.

Carlsberg Britvic plans to shut the Marston's Brewery on Shobnall Road in Burton upon Trent in the summer of 2027, nearly 200 years after John Marston first brewed there in 1834. The closure, putting around 310 workers at risk, reflects what Carlsberg describes as the ale category's structural decline and the need to build long-term value. Chief executive Paul Davies admitted the news "will have come as a shock" to colleagues. Certain ale brands including Hobgoblin, McEwan's and Brooklyn will continue to be produced elsewhere.

John Marston founded the brewery in Burton upon Trent in 1834, relocating to the Shobnall Road site in 1898.

Carlsberg took full ownership of the brewing operation in 2024 after buying out Marston's, which now focuses solely on its pub business.