Dartmoor's Black Tor Brewery based in Christow had one of its ales for sale in the Strangers’ Bar in the House of Commons last week after being sponsored by local MP Mel Stride as a guest beer for the week. The initiative is run by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the Society of Independent Brewers, of which Black Tor Brewery is a member. The ‘Blonde’ ale proved so popular that its week supply ran out in just three days.
Head brewer and director, Jonathon Crump, who met Mel during a trip up to Westminster during the week, said:
“We are a family-run independent brewery and it was great for Mel to sponsor one of our ales and help promote our business. We were thrilled it proved so popular!”
Mel added:
“The food and drinks industry is a major employer within our Central Devon constituency and a key part of our economy, both locally and nationally. I was very pleased to help promote one of our local family-run independent breweries and to meet Jonathon and discuss some of the issues facing the industry.”
The food and drink industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, worth over £31.1bn to our economy annually and employing over 450,000 people. 97% of businesses within the sector are small or medium sized businesses and in the past 20 years it has been one of the fastest growing industries in the country.
