Marston's to build new Wolverhampton headquarters

Brewery giant Marston's has revealed plans for a multi-million rebuild of its headquarters in Wolverhampton's Chapel Ash.

The brewing and pubs company says it will replace its existing 1960s office block with a modern building on the same site, overlooking the city's ring road.

As well as adding to the regeneration of the Chapel Ash area, the development is seen as a major investment in Wolverhampton, underlining the company's commitment to the city in terms of jobs and maintaining its traditional home in the Black Country.

The work will involve the demolition and rebuilding of the Marston's House office, the management hub for the brewer and its 1,800 pubs nationwide. While that is going on, the 500 office staff will move across the road to Coniston House where they will work for the 12 months it is expected to take to have the new offices completed.

Coniston House has been empty since it was vacated by former Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust last year. Marston's is expected to start moving in shortly after Christmas, so work can get under way early next year.

Marston's submitted plans for the project to Wolverhampton City Council yesterday.

Chief executive Ralph Findlay said: "This is a really exciting project for our business. We have been based on this site in Wolverhampton for nearly 140 years and are very proud of our heritage in the city. The new offices will be preparing our business for the future as one of the country's leading pub retailers and brewers.

"We wanted to demonstrate our commitment to Wolverhampton, both to our people who work here and the city itself."

Marston's employs 13,000 people across the UK at its pubs and five breweries. As well as the 500 working at the offices, hundreds more work at the Wolverhampton site which also houses the main distribution base for the business as well as the Park Brewery that produces Banks's Mild and Bitter, Sunbeam and a range of other beers.

The move was warmly greeted by leading city figures, including Roger Lawrence, leader of Wolverhampton City Council, who said: "Marston's is a huge employer and hopefully this anchors the company in the city for the foreseeable future."