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Hunter's Brewery in Devon goes into administration

Hunter's Brewery Hunter's BreweryHunter's Brewery
The company, which started in 2008 and employed six people, raised abut £20,000 in a 2021 crowdfunding campaign

A family-run brewery has gone into administration, blaming "rising costs of literally everything".

Paul Walker, owner of Hunter's Brewery in Ipplepen, Devon, said six people had lost their jobs at the firm that he founded in 2008.

The microbrewery had been "decimated" by the Covid-19 pandemic, he said.

It raised about £20,000 in a 2021 crowdfunder "which gave our cash flow a restart", but rising costs had forced the closure, he added.

Hunter's Brewery Paul Walker of Hunter's BreweryHunter's Brewery
Paul Walker said: "We do owe some people a party"

"All I can say is that it's unfortunate," Mr Walker told BBC News.

The firm had been producing about 528,000 pints (250,000 litres) of beer a year at its peak, supplying pubs from Cornwall to Bristol.

It had success in getting bottling contracts with Morrisons and the Co-op as well as producing all the bottled beers for the Turtle Bay restaurant chain.

In 2020 Covid-19 meant plans for expansion came to a "sudden stop", said Mr Walker.

"It's been brilliant up to the last two years," he said.

In the last two years the cost of electricity had risen from £2,000 to £10,000 a month, and the cost of malt and bottles by 140%.

'Sad day'

Mr Walker now hopes to create a smaller brewing firm with his son and to thank those who supported the crowdfunding campaign.

"We do owe some people a party and we plan to do that," he said.

Mr Walker wrote on Facebook that going into administration was a "sad day".

He said: "With the rising costs of literally everything we couldn't justify carrying on.

"We did, however, pay local suppliers and are only owing loans, HMRC and myself."

The Horse and Groom pub in Bittaford, Devon, which has stocked Hunter's beers since 2009, said it was "very sad news".

Landlord Olly Michelin said: "We have always had their beers on since just after they started, so it is a big shock.

"Paul always supported our beer festivals; he's a lovely man.

"But we are all in the same situation with rising costs of gas and electric and it's a big struggle."

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