A 100-year-old brewery has fallen into administration in a blow to Britain's pubs as growing costs continue to exert pressure on the wider industry.
Redemption Brewing Company, the family-run Tottenham brewery that helped spark London's craft beer revival, has entered administration following prolonged financial strain.
The brewery made history when it launched in 2010 as the first commercial brewing operation to open in the north London area for almost a century.
Administrators from FRP Advisory have now taken control of the business and are actively seeking a potential purchaser. Operations at the brewery remain ongoing during the administration process.
A historic 100-year-old brewery has fallen into administration
|GETTY / REDEMPTION BREWERY COMPANY
In a statement following its appointment as the brewery's administrator, FRP shared: "It follows a sustained period of financial pressure on the business.
"Rising duty rates in recent years have placed a particular burden on independent brewers, who face a more challenging cost environment than larger national and international competitors."
The administration follows a winding-up petition lodged by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in January, seeking to recover outstanding debts, with a court hearing originally set for February 2026.
Corporate filings reveal the brewery's total deficit grew from £632,151 in 2023 to £705,111 the following year, with a net loss of £72,960 recorded for the most recent financial period.
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The brewery has had links to Tottenham Hotspur
| GETTYLong-term creditor obligations stood at £426,658, City AM reports. Redemption has established itself as an integral part of the local community, with strong ties to Tottenham Hotspur reflected in its product range.
The brewery's flagship offering, an award-winning premium bitter called Hopspur, pays tribute to its north London roots, while its range also includes a new world IPA branded Big Chief.
Approximately 75 pubs across London and the surrounding area regularly stock the brewery's beers.
Its cask ales feature at The Antwerp Arms, the oldest operating pub in N17 and a cherished local institution that David Lammy, now deputy prime minister, helped save from demolition by property developers back in 2013.
Pubs are closing down at an alarming rate
| GETTYRedemption's collapse reflects a broader crisis engulfing Britain's independent brewing sector, which the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates has described as a "survival crisis" with roughly three breweries shutting down each week.
Small brewers contend with multiple tax burdens including alcohol duty, VAT, national insurance contributions, business rates on premises, and corporation tax.
Escalating manufacturing expenses and substantial tax increases affecting pubs have compounded these pressures, pushing many venues to close or switch to cheaper products from multinational producers rather than supporting local independents.
The hospitality industry faces further turmoil, with two thirds of firms planning job cuts following April's tax rises and one in seven expecting to cease trading entirely.