Watney Mann
1958 Watney Mann was formed from the merger of Watney, Combe, Reid and Co with Mann, Crossman and Paulin.
1959 Having fended off a hostile takeover bid, the directors revitalised the company
1960 Acquired Phipps of Northampton, Ushers of Trowbridge, Wilson and Walker of Manchester, making Watneys once again the largest brewing group, including 6,600 premises.
1961 Acquired Morgan's Brewery Co of Norwich
1963 Acquired Bullard and Sons and Steward and Patteson of Norwich
1965 Acquired Drybrough and Co of Edinburgh
1969 The name of Mann, Crossman and Paulin Ltd was changed to Watney Mann (London and Home Counties) Ltd
1970 Plans announced to centralise production at Mortlake, Manchester, Norwich and Edinburgh
1972 Terms were agreed for a £17.6 million offer by Watney Mann for the 72.9% it did not already own of the Halifax brewers Samuel Webster and Sons. Websters were reported to have about 280 public houses at that point.[1]
1972 Acquired International Distillers and Vintners
1972 The business was merged with Grand Metropolitan Hotels.
1974 Merged with Truman, Hanbury, Buxton and Co.
The brewing interests later passed to Scottish and Newcastle but Grand Metropolitan retained the public houses.
1979 Watney Mann was closed.
1976 Watney Mann (London and Home Counties) Ltd was renamed Watneys London Ltd[2]
1982 Watneys London Ltd was renamed Watney Combe Reid and Co Ltd
1986 Renamed Watney Combe Reid and Truman Ltd
1988 Name changed to Watney Truman Ltd
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Lets Look Again