THE NATIONAL BREWERY HERITAGE TRUST
Beer and public houses have formed a staple part of the British diet and way of life for over 2000 years and since the development of brewing as an industry from the early 1700s onwards, many brewing companies and beer brands have become household names and have achieved great success nationally and internationally.
The National Brewery Heritage Trust exists to protect, preserve and promote the archives and artefacts which together make up the National Brewery Collection. This includes helping people understand the importance of the brewing industry to the country’s economy as well as its social history.
Key Objectives
- To protect, preserve and make available to the public the archives and artefacts which together make up the National Brewery Collection;
- To maintain and develop the collection and ensure that it remains intact for perpetuity;
- To support educational displays and events which demonstrate the impact of brewing and pubs on the social and economic development of the UK and worldwide;
- To promote a greater understanding of the history of brewing and the role of public houses;
- To seek sources of funding as appropriate for repair and restoration of the archive and artefacts.
Our History
The National Brewery Collection began life in the Bass Museum, which opened in 1977 to celebrate the bicentenary of the founding of that company. Following a change of ownership in 2003, the museum was renamed the Coors Visitor Centre. When plans were formed announced to close the centre in 2008, a group of volunteers came together in support its retention and examined options to keep it open. The group became the National Brewery Heritage Trust and was registered as a charity in July 2012. The Trust supported the newly refurbished and renamed National Brewery Centre for a decade until the decision was taken to close to the public in 2022.
Today
Together with Molson Coors UK, who owns the National Brewery Collection, and East Staffordshire Borough Council, the Trust remains committed to ensuring that a suitable long-term home is found for the archives and artefacts in Burton upon Trent.
The Trust is currently based in the Brewery Heritage Centre in the centre of Burton upon Trent, which is also the temporary home for the archives. You can read our Frequently Asked Questions here.
THE TRUST MANAGEMENT TEAM
The Trust is run by a small group of unpaid volunteers (the Trust’s Directors), which currently includes representatives from: Burton Civic Society, CAMRA, British Guild of Beer Writers (BGBW) and former brewing industry executives.
THE DIRECTORS ARE:
Dr Harry White
Chairman
Harry has been a member of the Museum Action Group/Trustees since its inception in 2008, and has been chairman of the Trustees since Sept. 2015. He retired from Molson Coors at the end of 2007, where he had been Global Director of Technical Compliance. Prior to the take-over by Coors in 2002, he had worked for Bass for 25 years, for the last 12 years as Director of Quality Assurance.
Bob Heaver
Treasurer
Bob is Treasurer who joined the Trust in 2014. Bob worked for thirty years in financial / strategic planning, investment appraisal and acquisitions / divestment for Bass PLC, Bass Leisure and finally for Bass Brewers / Coors.
Terry Critchley
Secretary
Terry worked for Bass for many years finally ending up as Transformation Director in hotel division which became InterContinental Hotels Group. An accountant by profession, Terry joined the Trustee Board in 2016.
Brett Rathbone
Deputy Chairman
Brett joins the Trust as IT Director having held several national and international IT roles over the last 35 years with Bass, Coors, and Molson Coors. During that time, he has witnessed the fast-changing development of the use of computer technology in the beer industry and he brings a wealth of IT management and technical experience to the Trust as their online presence looks to grow and becomes increasingly important for the future.
Nik Antona
Trustee
Nik is employed as a Business Improvement Consultant at BT PLC. Since 2009 he has served as a Director of the Campaign for Real Ale with responsibility for Brewery Liaison and in recent years Beer Festivals & Events. He is also the Vice-Chair of the Thomas Russell Infants School, in Barton-under-Needwood, Governing Body.
Robert Humphreys MBE
Trustee
Robert is a non-executive director of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and Chairs its Policy Committee. Pro bono, he is Vice-Chair of Best Bar None, a Government-backed scheme to raise standards in the UK’s on-trade, a director of the British Guild of Beer Writers and a trustee of the homelessness charity Only a Pavement Away. He was Secretary to the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group at Westminster and to the British Beer Club in the European Parliament from 1993 to 2014, following a twenty-year career with Bass, culminating as Director of Public Relations for its brewing division.
Janet Dean
Trustee
Janet became councillor to the Staffordshire County Council in 1981 and to the East Staffordshire District Council in 1991, becoming its mayor in 1996. She was also elected to the Uttoxeter Town Council in 1995 but stepped down from all three councils on her election to Westminster in 1997. In 2008, when Coors announced the closure of the Coors Visitor Centre (formerly Bass Museum) Janet called a meeting which led to the formation of a task group determined to save the Museum and maintain it as a focal point for the town and the region. She was therefore instrumental in the formation of the NBHT and she is now Membership Secretary of the Trust.
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Sir Alan Meale
Trustee
Sir Alan Meale is a former British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mansfield from 1987 to 2017. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions under John Prescott from January 1998 to January 1999. He became a government whip Council of Europe Delegation in 2007 and acting Leader of the UK Delegation in 2010. He was knighted by Prince Charles officiating at the ceremony in January, 2012, after the 2011 Birthday Honours list was announced, chosen for his “public and political service”. He has been a keen advocate for the brewing industry over the years, and was the first chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group.
Chris Else
Trustee
Chris is the founding Partner of Else Solicitors and has over 25 years’ experience as a commercial solicitor dealing mainly with commercial disputes. He is also an accredited Mediator.
Chris Holden
Membership Secretary
Chris has taken on the Membership Secretary role for the Trust and aims to bring a new impetus to this very important role. Chris runs his own consultancy firm as well as working two days a week at Nottingham Trent University. He previously worked for Molson Coors in Burton upon Trent.