Tasting success after foot-and-mouth

More pubs in Cumbria want to sell the brewery's beers

A tiny brewery owned by a Cumbrian village is tasting success again after almost folding during the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

Hesket Newmarket brewery near Carlisle, is one of England's smallest and was bought by villagers as a co-operative in 1999.

It almost went out of business during the foot-and-mouth crisis as tourists deserted the county and beer sales slumped.

But now the brewery, famed for beers like Doris' 90th Birthday and Great Cockup, says it is finally back in the black.

The brewery almost went out of business

Brewery manager Mike Parker, said: "What is happening now is that pubs where we once only got the odd barrel into are now coming back for repeat orders.

"There was anxiety during the foot-and-mouth crisis as it was only the second year of our co-operative.

"Coming through the crisis we saw substantial losses looming.

"But everyone involved has pulled together and now we are looking at a small profit this year."

Bill Goldsmith, a volunteer member of the co-operative, said: "We have done everything possible to make the brewery a success.

"We even went on the road and sold it from a van in Lancashire."

There are 66 shareholders who either live locally or have strong connections with Hesket Newmarket.

Julian Davey, chairman of the co-operative, said: "Foot-and-mouth was a major problem for us and there were some that doubted whether a co-operative would succeed.

"But we've come through all that and now we are hopeful for the future."