Charrington Brewery
A historic London brewing company that expanded through acquisitions and mergers before its brewing assets were sold to Interbrew in 2000.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Charrington Brewery was a major British brewing business rooted in Bethnal Green and the East End of London. Its origins lay in a brewery established by Robert Westfield in the early eighteenth century. Joseph Moss joined the enterprise in 1757, after which the business moved to the Anchor Brewery at Mile End. John Charrington, who had previously brewed with Hale brewers in Islington, became a partner in 1766. The company traded for a period as Westfield, Moss & Charrington, but Westfield retired in 1769 and Moss later withdrew in 1783. John Charrington and his brother Henry then became the principal controllers of the business. The company grew into one of London's largest brewers. By 1807–08 it was reported to be producing more than 20,000 barrels of beer annually, making it the capital's second-largest brewer at that time. After John Charrington died in 1815, the business continued under family leadership, with his brother and his son Nicholas involved in its management. Nicholas's sons Edward and Spencer later succeeded him. The company's expansion combined organic growth with the acquisition of regional breweries and tied properties. In 1833 it acquired Steward & Head of Stratford-upon-Avon, and it took over the Lewis Meakin Abbey Brewery in Burton upon Trent in 1872. The London and Burton operations were eventually consolidated into Charrington & Co. Ltd, registered in 1897. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Charrington built a substantial network of breweries, public houses, hotels, refreshment houses, and related businesses. Its acquisitions included breweries in West Ham, Fulham, Kingston upon Thames, Gravesend, Notting Hill, Peckham, Stratford, Whitechapel, Grays, East Smithfield, Kent, Brighton, Yeovil, Derby, Great Dunmow, and Burnley. The company also acquired the People's Refreshment House Association's freehold and leasehold properties from the beginning of 1962. These transactions strengthened Charrington's distribution and retail presence while extending the geographic reach of its beer portfolio. Charrington produced a range of traditional ales, stouts, and lagers. Brands and styles associated with the business included Anchor Stout, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Pilsner Lager, Punch Stout, Royal Toby Ale, Toby Ale, Toby Export Lager Beer, Toby Lager, and Toby Stout. The company also shifted production between sites as its operating structure changed. Pale-ale brewing was transferred from Burton to the Anchor Brewery in London in 1925; the Burton brewery subsequently closed in 1926. The business underwent a series of major corporate combinations. Charrington United Breweries Limited was formed in 1962 to facilitate the combination of Charrington & Co. and United Breweries. In 1967, Charrington merged with Bass and Mitchells & Butlers, creating Bass Charrington, described at the time as the largest brewing company in the United Kingdom. The later Bass Charrington business separated brewing, brand, and retail assets. In 1997 its public houses were sold, with the purchaser creating Punch Taverns. In 2000, Interbrew acquired the brewing operations and brands, while the remaining hotel and pub interests were transferred to Six Continents. Six Continents subsequently divided in 2003 into a pubs business, now Mitchells & Butlers, and a hotels and soft-drinks business, now InterContinental Hotels Group. The Anchor Brewery ceased production in January 1975, although it continued to serve as a head-office site for a time. Most of the complex was later demolished and redeveloped for housing, offices, shopping, and the Anchor Retail Park. A surviving Grade II-listed portion was later known as Adams House, with a residential section called Charrington House. Charrington therefore survives primarily as a historical name associated with London brewing, former beer brands, heritage buildings, and the corporate lineage of later British brewing and hospitality groups.
History
Charrington Brewery developed from an early-eighteenth-century Bethnal Green brewery founded by Robert Westfield. Joseph Moss joined the business in 1757, prompting a move to the Anchor Brewery at Mile End. John Charrington became a partner in 1766, and the firm adopted the name Westfield, Moss & Charrington. Following Westfield's retirement in 1769 and Moss's retirement in 1783, John Charrington and his brother Henry assumed control. The company subsequently became known as Charrington & Co. and remained closely associated with the Charrington family. The brewer expanded rapidly in London and beyond. It was already one of the capital's leading brewers by the beginning of the nineteenth century. After John Charrington's death in 1815, the business continued under Henry Charrington and Nicholas Charrington, followed later by Nicholas's sons Edward and Spencer. Acquisitions broadened the company's production base and tied-estate network. Steward & Head of Stratford-upon-Avon was acquired in 1833, while the Lewis Meakin Abbey Brewery at Burton upon Trent was acquired in 1872. The London and Burton businesses were brought together under Charrington & Co. Ltd in 1897. Charrington continued to acquire breweries and related businesses throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Its portfolio included operations in West Ham, Fulham, Kingston upon Thames, Gravesend, Notting Hill, Peckham, Stratford, Whitechapel, Grays, East Smithfield, Kent, Brighton, Yeovil, Derby, Great Dunmow, and Burnley. The company also bought mineral-water interests and wine-merchant businesses and acquired the People's Refreshment House Association's extensive freehold and leasehold property interests. These moves made Charrington more than a production brewer: it became an integrated drinks and hospitality enterprise with a substantial pub and hotel estate. The company operated both ale and lager facilities. Production was reorganized during the interwar period, with pale ale brewing transferred from the Abbey Brewery in Burton to the Anchor Brewery in London in 1925. The Burton brewery closed in 1926 and was sold with its tied houses. Charrington's named products included Anchor Stout, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, Pilsner Lager, Punch Stout, Royal Toby Ale, Toby Ale, Toby Export Lager Beer, Toby Lager, and Toby Stout. Corporate consolidation defined the company's later history. Charrington United Breweries Limited was registered in 1962 to facilitate the merger of Charrington & Co. with United Breweries. In 1967 Charrington combined with Bass and Mitchells & Butlers, forming Bass Charrington. The resulting group became one of the dominant British brewing companies. Its later restructuring separated manufacturing and retail assets. Public houses were sold in 1997, with the buyer forming Punch Taverns. In 2000 Interbrew acquired the brewing operations and brands, while the remaining pub and hotel interests were transferred to Six Continents. Six Continents split in 2003, leaving a pubs business associated with Mitchells & Butlers and a hotels and soft-drinks business associated with InterContinental Hotels Group. The Anchor Brewery stopped brewing in January 1975. Although the site continued to have administrative importance for a period, most buildings were later removed. The area was redeveloped as housing, offices, shops, and the Anchor Retail Park. A surviving corner building, later known as Adams House and Charrington House, retained listed-building protection and remains a physical reminder of the brewery's former presence. The Charrington business itself is now defunct as an independent brewer, but its historical brands, properties, and corporate descendants remain part of the history of British brewing and hospitality.
- 2003
Six Continents split
[1]The successor property group divided into pubs and hotels-and-soft-drinks businesses.
- 2000
Brewing assets sold to Interbrew
[1]Interbrew acquired the brewing operations and brands, ending Charrington's independent brewing identity.
- 1975
Anchor Brewery closes
[1]Brewing ceased at the Anchor Brewery in January.
- 1967
Bass Charrington created
[1]Charrington merged with Bass and Mitchells & Butlers to form Bass Charrington.
- 1962
Charrington United Breweries formed
[1]A corporate vehicle was established for the combination of Charrington & Co. and United Breweries.
- 1925
Pale-ale production transferred to London
[1]Pale-ale brewing moved from Burton's Abbey Brewery to the Anchor Brewery in London.
- 1897
Charrington & Co. Ltd registered
[1]The London and Burton brewery operations were placed under Charrington & Co. Ltd.
- 1872
Abbey Brewery acquired
[1]Charrington took over Lewis Meakin's Abbey Brewery in Burton upon Trent.
- 1833
Steward & Head acquired
[1]The company acquired Steward & Head in Stratford-upon-Avon and traded as Charrington & Head Co.
- 1766
John Charrington joins the business
[1]John Charrington became a partner, leading to the trading name Westfield, Moss & Charrington.
Products and positioning
A large traditional British brewer with strong London roots, a broad ale, stout, and lager portfolio, and an integrated estate of tied pubs and hospitality properties.
Stout
Charrington's Anchor Stout
A stout sold under the brewery's Anchor-associated identity and linked to the company's historic Mile End brewery.
Pale ale
Charrington's Pale Ale
A pale ale in Charrington's traditional beer range. Pale-ale production was transferred from Burton to the Anchor Brewery in London in 1925.
Brown ale
Charrington's Brown Ale
A brown ale associated with Charrington's broad portfolio of traditional British beer styles.
Pilsner lager
Charrington's Pilsner Lager
A pilsner-style lager included among the brewery's named products.
Ale
Toby Ale
A Charrington-associated ale brand forming part of the company's named Toby range.
Lager
Toby Lager
A lager sold under the Toby name, alongside Toby ale, export lager, and stout variants.
Stout
Punch Stout
A stout listed among the brewery's branded products.
Brand decisions
2000
Separate brewing assets from property interestsM&ABackground
The successor Bass Charrington business was being reorganized around distinct brewing, retail, and hospitality assets.
Action taken
Interbrew bought the brewing operations and brands, while the remaining pub and hotel properties were transferred to Six Continents.
Aftermath
Charrington ceased to operate as an independent brewing business; its brewing assets entered the Interbrew group, now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
1967
Merge with Bass and Mitchells & ButlersM&ABackground
The British brewing industry was consolidating through combinations of large regional and national brewers.
Action taken
Charrington merged with Bass and Mitchells & Butlers to form Bass Charrington.
Aftermath
The combination created a leading British brewing group and placed Charrington's brands within a much larger corporate structure.
1925
Transfer pale-ale production to LondonStrategyBackground
Charrington operated brewing facilities in both London and Burton upon Trent, and its production network was being rationalized.
Action taken
Pale-ale brewing was moved from the Abbey Brewery in Burton upon Trent to the Anchor Brewery in London; the Burton brewery closed the following year.
Aftermath
The change concentrated pale-ale production at the London site and ended the operating role of the Burton brewery.
Recent events
- 2003
Six Continents separates pubs and hotels businesses[1]
M&A
Six Continents split into a pubs business, now associated with Mitchells & Butlers, and a hotels and soft-drinks business, now associated with InterContinental Hotels Group.
- 2000
Interbrew acquires Charrington brewing operations[1]
M&A
Interbrew acquired the brewing operations and brands, while the remaining property interests were renamed Six Continents.
- 1997
Bass Charrington sells its public houses[1]
M&A
Bass Charrington disposed of its public-house estate; the purchaser subsequently created Punch Taverns.
- 1975
Anchor Brewery ends brewing operations[1]
Other
The Anchor Brewery at Mile End ceased production in January, although parts of the site remained associated with the company afterward.
- 1967
Charrington merges with Bass and Mitchells & Butlers[1]
M&A
The merger created Bass Charrington, a major United Kingdom brewing group.
- 1962
Charrington and United Breweries combine[1]
M&A
A new company, Charrington United Breweries Limited, was registered to implement the combination of Charrington & Co. and United Breweries through an exchange of shares.
Sources1 sources
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