| When Ushers closed down their Isle of Wight brewery in 1998
David Yates was determined to get back into brewing. The one time brewer of Burts beers in
Ventnor had been hired by Geoffrey Hartridge to rekindle the Burts name and brew
beers; first of all in the Dodner Brewery and then for a short while in The
Sandown Brewery and Stillroom (now the Old Comical). |
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When Ushers bought up the
Hartridge Estate the writing was on the wall and it wasn't long before the axe
fell once again on Burts locally brewed beers. David's first plans to install a brewery in some farm outhouses in Nettlecombe
had to be abandoned when it became clear that they would not get planning
permission. Some friends of David happened to mention that their son Jamie was
keen to open a pub and arranged a meeting. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jamie Collins opened the Inn at St
Lawrence at the beginning of the 2000, a small cottage in the grounds was
converted to house the brewery and soon locals and visitors to the Isle of Wight
were able once again to enjoy David Yates' fine brews.
This time however, David has a partner - his son David Jnr. |
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These days Yates' Brewery has become well
established and respected. As well as supplying the Island with a range of
draft real ales, the brewery now has a fine reputation for bottle
conditioned beers. Yate's Isle of Wight Special Ale
picked up the bronze award at this years Guardian/CAMRA bottle beer
category at the Great British Beer Festival. |