Guinness reveals plans for Covent Garden brewery

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

A £73 million Guinness brewery is set to refresh shoppers in Covent Garden.

The drinks giant is set to take over a new 50,000 square venue at Old Brewers’ Yard.

The site was first used to brew beer in 1722 and will now be brought back to life 300 years later.

Guest tours with beer specialists and special events will take place at the site’s brewery, restaurant and store from autumn 2023.

The new site will cover locations linking Mercer Walk, Langley Street, Neal Street and Shelton Street, complete with a covered courtyard.

Covent Garden has been transformed by the pandemic, with al fresco dining introduced across the famous square.

The microbrewery will create 150 jobs and a further 100 bartenders will be trained up by Guinness.

There will also be an open-fire kitchen, restaurant and 360 degrees glass rooftop space.

An event space will also be created and open for use by the local community.

Guinness sales in Great Britain have shot up by more than 30 per cent in the last six months and one in every 10 pints sold in London is now a Guinness.

The space has received backing from the chancellor Rishi Sunak and the politician is hopeful the brewery will help bring tourists back to the centre of London following months of lockdowns.

The chancellor told the Evening Standard: “This multi-million-pound investment is a crucial vote of confidence in our capital.

“Three hundred years after brewing the first beer in Old Brewers Yard, it’s fantastic to see Guinness breathing life into our hospitality and tourism industries and creating more jobs and training opportunities in central London.”

Dayalan Nayager, who runs Guinness’ parent company Diageo said: “We’re excited to create a new home for Guinness in the heart of London. ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard’ will strengthen London’s hospitality community and be a must-visit destination for thousands of visitors to enjoy.

“Government support over the last two years has been vital for pubs and bars.

“Coming out of the pandemic, the long-term vitality of the trade will be significantly helped by the alcohol duty review and continued freezes in duty.”

Pictured top: CGI of what the new Guinness hub will look like (image: Diageo)