The Second HMS Manchester Association

"It is with extreme sadness that I must announce that I am closing the brewery. It will come as no surprise that my reason for closure is a combination of a huge rise of energy prices combined with a huge rise in the commercial rent for our industrial unit. After coming out of the tough times of the pandemic I was reasonably confident that the brewery could pootle along quite nicely, happily doing what we enjoyed doing with a view that we would plod along for at least another 4 or 5 years and then my approaching retirement. The rises in rent and energy quite simply raised our break even points well beyond what we physically could do, even if in a tight market I could gain the extra customers.

Over the last 16 years of our existence Irving and Co. Brewers has been a solid little traditional brewery, we have a slew of awards on the brewery wall and a firm local following. On a personal note I have thoroughly enjoyed the adventure it has been and especially the customers I have met over the years be they landlords, drinkers at the bar or my brewery shop customers that kept us alive during the pandemic.

Finally I'd like to thank Neil, Gill and Mark for their hard work over the 16 years plus all of you other folks, friends and family who have helped out."

Cheers

Malcolm Irving.

Malcolm has been a good friend to The Second HMS Manchester Association over a considerable period of time. Re-union 22 was the first re-union that we were unable to get our hosts (Holiday Inn) to allow us to bring in two barrels of Malcolm's fine ale that we purchased at a very reasonable rate and also gave us what we needed to set the barrels up without charge. Furthermore, in our early years a small gathering from 2MA would muster at the brewery for a tour. On year one he gave an in depth lecture on brewing for circa 30 minutes. On year two, 2MA gave the brief in two minutes flat and in the following years, the actual tours were cancelled and we started drinking beer on arrival. All the ale you could drink in two hours plus for just a tenner! Bargain!!

Malcolm further invited Stevie and our correspondent to help serve his special "Duncan" ale at the commissioning of HMS Duncan. Stevie remembers leaving the Dockyard on completion - Whilst our correspondent does not!!