B. United International Inc. - Burton Bridge Brewery

The Fox and Goose was advertised in the Morning Advertiser and a visit was made during the May bank holiday in 1981). The pub had been closed for some two years and had been sold (de-licensed) to a solicitor. There were no services (gas, electricity, water) and the building needed much maintenance to get it habitable, let alone trading as a brewery pub. The old pub had been on Bridge Street and the back building had been used for stabling in the days of the pub being a coaching station and since those days as a store for defunct furniture.

After much thought and talk it was decided to make an offer for the building subject to planning permission being granted to be able to brew on site. In October 1981), notice to leave was given to Ind Coope at Romford and various items of equipment were purchased from diverse sources. Brewing finally started on 25 May 1982 after 6 months of long, hard work with the help of 2 Y-O-P’s.

It was then fully appreciated that many so-called free houses in the area were actually tied to other brewers. As they were not allowed to sell their beer in any pubs in Burton, work was started on a temporary bar at the front of the building. The seating was located in a quarry in North Derbyshire, where a stonemason had removed the pews from the methodist chapel in which Harold Wilson’s parents had been married. The beer engines were found in the back of a local garage!

The bar was opened on 1 August 1982 and with a barmaid employed at lunchtimes and early evenings only, Geoff and Bruce worked alternate nights and brewed and delivered during the day!