Under the proposals, the brewery and its main on-site logistics operation would close in summer 2027.
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The company said it would keep key ale brands, including Hobgoblin, McEwan’s and Brooklyn, while looking for new owners for its other cask and regional ale brands.
Commenting on the news, Carlsberg Britvic CEO Paul Davies said: “I am very aware that this news will have come as a shock for colleagues, as I recognise the impact of this proposal is significant.
“While we remain proud of the role we have played in supporting and investing in the ale category overall, the stark reality is that UK cask ale volumes have more than halved in less than a decade, and this trend looks set to continue across the UK.
True experts
“It is my role to ensure Carlsberg Britvic’s multi-beverage portfolio is focused where consumers are today, and where customer demand is growing.
“That said, smaller ale brands are much loved by select consumers, and we will do everything we can to ensure they thrive under more specialist or local ownership in the future.
“Marston’s Brewery, its history and legacy in Burton-upon-Trent are iconic, and our teams there are true experts in ale.
“Their skill, craft and knowledge have shaped the industry for generations, just as our logistics teams have always delivered exemplary customer service. This proposal, therefore, is by no means a reflection on any of our people, and every effort will be made to help them through this period of uncertainty.”
Davies added the brewery and primary logistics operation were expected to continue to operate during the transition period as the company works through the detail of the consultation.
He continued: “As and when key decisions are taken over the coming months, we will share further information with the industry, but always with our colleagues first.”
Previous ambitions
Carlsberg Britvic was formed in January 2025 following Carlsberg’s £3.3bn takeover of soft drinks maker Britvic, bringing together its UK business with Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company.
The proposed closure comes two years after the former Carlsberg Marston’s business announced plans to invest more than £6m in the Burton brewery, with ambitions to turn it into a national centre for craft beer and traditional ale brewing.
It also follows the closure of several other breweries within the business, including Jennings in Cumbria, Wychwood in Oxfordshire, Ringwood in Hampshire and Banks’s in Wolverhampton.
Carlsberg Marston’s had also announced in January 2024 that it would retire the four remaining sets of the historic Burton Union brewing system, which had been used to ferment Marston’s Pedigree ale.
Some of the historic brewing equipment was subsequently transferred to Thornbridge Brewery in Derbyshire and Epochal in Glasgow, while another set was preserved at the Burton site.