Marston's selling up marks sad end to proud history of brewing in Wolverhampton
Marston's heritage in the brewing industry in the Black Country goes back to 1840.
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Now the company has sold its 40 per cent stake in a brewing joint venture for £206 million, to focus entirely on running pubs. But how did Marston's get to this point?
Its origin was as Banks and Company, which began as maltsters and started brewing in 1874 at Newbridge.
The Park Brewery in Brewery Road, Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton opened the following year.
It has brewed the Banks's range of beers ever since including Banks's Mild – now Banks's Original.
In 1890 Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries was formed with a merger with George Thompson and Sons of Dudley and Victoria Breweries and the Fox Brewery, Wolverhampton. It initially had 193 outlets for its beers.
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