Latest news with #Guildford-based
Metro
01-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
Beloved brewery that supplies beer all over Britain to close after 40 years
One of Britain's longest-running breweries will be closing its factory after 40 years. Exmoor Ales has been supplying pints to pubs from its factory in Wiveliscombe, Somerset, since 1979. But the firm's managing director, Jonathan Price, announced this week that the company will be moving production to the Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey. Price blamed Covid, sky-high inflation and tax increases for the closure. 'This has meant we need to restructure and close the brewery,' he told the Somerset County Gazette. He added: 'Exmoor Ales has a strong following of loyal drinkers built up over more than 40 years, so we've been looking for a solution that will allow us to continue employing people locally and be in charge of our own sales and future.' Four staff members have lost their jobs in the move. The brewer's shop on Old Brewery Road will remain open, selling popular brews like Gold, Stag, Beast and Fox. The new Surrey microbrewery, some 120 miles from the original site, will use the same recipes and yeast to maintain the brand. Distribution will continue from Wiveliscombe, while the Guildford-based Hogs Back will help with national sales. While it took decades for foreign global brewers to get their bottles and cans on British pub menus, they now represent 92% of the UK beer market, Price said. These beer giants can endure many of the financial troubles that cause local breweries to fold, as well as have better access to pubs. Price isn't alone. In only a year, Britain lost 100 breweries, from 1,815 at the start of 2024 to 1,715 this January, according to the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA) UK Brewery Tracker. Wiveliscombe, a town of only 2,900 people, was once a thriving brewery town. With the shutdown of Exmoor Ales and Nuttycombe this year and the Cotleigh Brewery in 2021, Black Bear Brewery is one of the last remaining Wiveliscombe breweries. Stressing that the move to Surrey is a 'partnership', not a 'takeover', Price added that it doesn't mean last orders for the brewery. 'It's a rotten day for me as the owner of the business, but we'll still be here and it isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that we might brew again in Wiveliscombe, but probably on a smaller scale,' Price said. Loyal fans of Exmoor Ales' said the booze business' closure is 'worrying'. More Trending 'So farewell @exmoorales. Another brewery bites the dust. Big Beer is really starting to flex its muscles,' posted one user on X. Another customer, Graham Brown, added: 'Lovely brewery with some cracking beers, another great loss to the industry.' Exmoor Ales, formerly the Golden Hill Brewery, is a well-known fixture of the town for its Victorian tower and chimney. It was founded by Jim Laker in 1979 before Price took the helm in 2006. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Much-loved pottery firm suddenly closes after 128 years MORE: Major store set to close 255 locations by next week – see full list MORE: Much-loved bakers to close all sites for good tomorrow
The Irish Sun
26-04-2025
- The Irish Sun
How YOUR dog is targeted by cruel thieves & why you'll ‘NEVER' get them back – as breeds most in demand are revealed
DOTING dog owners have been warned about cruel thieves targeting their beloved pooches, with some breeds more at risk than others. Colin Butcher, who has been tracking down stolen and missing pets for 20 years, said Advertisement 11 A spaniel who was stolen from a livery yard and was missing for a year Credit: Colin Butcher 11 Colin managed to find her a year after she was taken by illegal breeders Credit: Colin Butcher 11 Little puppy Twiglet squealed in terror when a thief dressed as a delivery driver snatched him from family home in 2023 but was later found after a tip off Credit: Essex Police 11 Essex Police released CCTV of the dachshund theft Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk He told The Sun that pet theft tends to happen in five-year cycles, due to how often heartless breeders have to replenish their stock of dogs to prevent inbreeding. Colin, who is an ex-cop, warned there is a He said that a shocking 60 per cent of the dogs for sale come from "The demand is higher than what registered breeders can deal with, and people are impatient. Advertisement READ MORE NEWS "If you're told there's a three month wait-list and then go online and see you can get a dog next weekend, and you go to a really nice house to pick it up... why would you suspect anything? He said: "A lot of illegal dog breeders work closely with "Sometimes they will Advertisement Most read in The Sun "They sell about a dozen puppies at a time that can reach around Guildford-based Colin said there is a current surge in cockapoos being stolen, but it "If there's a dog that a lot of celebrities have or is in TV shows or in adverts - that is what they breed," he explained. Advertisement Another dog breed which is Colin said: "It is a lot easier to breed smaller dogs because you can fit more of them in a smaller space like rabbit hutches. They are kept in really tiny, contained spaces." He said that in previous years, a lot of breeders focused on XL Bully breeding but this has "plummeted" after the recent legislation banning the dangerous dog breed. Instead, people turn to other big dogs like rottweilers. " Advertisement When it comes to tracking down stolen pets, Colin doesn't work alone. 11 A cavapoo who was stolen in Belgravia, snatched by an Uber Eats driver Credit: Colin Butcher 11 40 puppies were saved after cops foiled a dog-napping raid near Cheltenham Credit: DC Dave Wise/Triangle News 11 Cockapoo Alan was dognapped and doorbell footage captured the moment last year Credit: SWNS Advertisement 11 A man snatched the cockapoo in Ashbourne, Derbyshire Credit: SWNS He works alongside his loyal companion Molly, who is a rescue dog. And while he often finds a pet within a day or two if he is called straight away, Colin admitted that "organised, specialised dog thieves" are far harder to deal with. He said: "They are much harder to catch. They will have done their research - scoped out a boarding kennel, for example, to find out what breeds are there. Advertisement "Sometimes it's an inside job - I had one case where a Chihuahua at a bordering kennel was taken but every other dog was there. It turned out to be a kennel maid who leaked the information to her boyfriend. "People who work with dogs like walkers, in kennels or dog wardens often form a bond to the animal and steal it." Colin sometimes travels further afield to catch the culprits, with one case beginning in Turkey and ending in America. Once a client flew him out to the Caribbean to find a stolen Yorkshire Terrier who went missing from a villa. Advertisement He said: "When you see the relief and joy on an owner's face when they're reunited with their dog it's amazing. It's what keeps me going." The world's top 10 most beautiful dog breeds have been revealed, according to science, so does your pooch make the cut? By Roisin Chapman EVERY pet parent thinks their furry friend is the cutest creature on the planet. And thanks to a recent scientific study, the top 10 most beautiful dog breeds have been officially named. Scientists have used an ancient Greek formula of "physical perfection" to determine the most beautiful dog breeds in the world, reports the This Golden Ratio of Beauty, a mathematical calculation, devised by the Greeks but has proven accurate for centuries, has previously been used to calculate the most attractive celebrities. The desired ratio is roughly 1:1.618 and compares the measurements, ratios, and symmetry of facial features to determine beauty. The most beautiful breeds are: Cairn Terrier West Highland White Terrier Border Collie Rhodesian Ridgeback Welsh Terrier Weimaraner Tolling Retriever Pembroke Welsh Corgi 11 Piglet the Chihuahua went missing in Harefield last year Credit: Colin Butcher 11 Minature Dachund Jimmy went missing from a livery yard on March 18 Credit: Colin Butcher Colin went on to say a Advertisement Stacey Holland's dog was stolen in Birmingham after she bolted from her home, and she found that despite the huge community support, many people were worried about this. She said: "Volunteers came forward to help me leaflet areas and knock doors for CCTV footage. "It became evident that not many people were willing to give up information about the thief due to being scared of repercussions." Eventually, after her story was shared on social media and in the news, Boston Terrier Skye became "too hot to handle". Advertisement "It took nearly three weeks but the dog warden called me and said Skye was found in Handsworth and was let go." Skye had lost a bit of weight, but thankfully she was unharmed and her owner was "absolutely licked to death" when they were finally reunited. Of all the animals targeted in pet theft, In 2024, around 1,800 dogs were stolen and only one in six were found and returned to their owners. Advertisement Dog breed most likely to be stolen in the UK revealed as thefts soar despite overall FALL in cases By Ben O'Driscoll DOG thefts in the UK fell by a fifth last year, police figures show — but the number of stolen French bulldogs shot up. There were 51 taken, an increase of more than a third on 2023. It is now the breed most likely to be targeted by crooks as they can cost up to £5,000 from reputable breeders. In all, Rottweiler thefts rose most sharply, then border collies and chihuahuas. In contrast, thefts of XL Bullies fell by almost half following the ban on the breed introduced in February last year. 11 Instead of XL Bullies, now other big dogs like Rottweilers are in demand Credit: Alamy
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Surrey experts help protect vital water supplies
Experts at the University of Surrey are collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to make sure communities around the world have safe drinking water. Billions rely on what are known as small drinking water systems, which are unregulated or maintained by major utility companies, and are vulnerable to contamination and broken infrastructure. The Guildford-based university team has devised online resources which can be used to maintain such supplies, spotting problems before they happen. The resources, which include a template for risk assessments and guidelines for maintaining them, have already been downloaded more than 60,000 times. The team estimates almost 40% of the global population relies on small drinking water systems. Dr Katherine Pond, the university's associate professor in environmental engineering, said: "Surveillance is key to detecting and responding to potential issues before they become problems. "As climate change increases the risk to supplies globally it's vital that we empower local communities and public health officials with the necessary knowledge to protect their water." The University of Surrey is due to host the WHO meeting of Collaborating Centres on Water in 2026. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Finding answers to the world's drinking water crisis How global conferences are using tech to survive Concern UK's AI ambitions could lead to water shortages Water contamination threat posed by motorbikes University releases plans for campus in India UN training centre opens at University of Surrey University of Surrey leads new cancer research University of Surrey World Health Organization
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
University of Surrey experts help protect vital water supplies
Experts at the University of Surrey are collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to make sure communities around the world have safe drinking rely on what are known as small drinking water systems, which are unregulated or maintained by major utility companies, and are vulnerable to contamination and broken Guildford-based university team has devised online resources which can be used to maintain such supplies, spotting problems before they resources, which include a template for risk assessments and guidelines for maintaining them, have already been downloaded more than 60,000 times. The team estimates almost 40% of the global population relies on small drinking water Katherine Pond, the university's associate professor in environmental engineering, said: "Surveillance is key to detecting and responding to potential issues before they become problems."As climate change increases the risk to supplies globally it's vital that we empower local communities and public health officials with the necessary knowledge to protect their water."The University of Surrey is due to host the WHO meeting of Collaborating Centres on Water in 2026.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Science
- The Independent
William enjoys ‘best day' spraying pond water at journalists
The Prince of Wales enjoyed the 'best day of my life' when he was encouraged to spray pond water at the press – all in the name of science. William aimed a syringe full of the cloudy water at photographers and journalists when he joined school children collecting DNA samples for NatureMetrics, a finalist in his environmental Earthshot Prize awards project. The future king visited the Guildford-based company to learn more about its work analysing environmental data to provide clients with a comprehensive map of life in a forest, lake or even the air, and quipped 'does this mean you can find the Loch Ness monster?' Dr Kat Bruce, founder of NatureMetrics, suggested the prince and the youngsters aim at the media as a joke and William eagerly joined in, and said 'great idea' after filling his syringe with water from a tub, drawn from a nearby pond. The group pushed the plungers on the syringes, topped with a filter to collect the environmental DNA, but the sprays of water fell short and the prince quipped 'Oh nearly, so nearly' adding: 'This is the best day of my life – great fun.' Two further attempts failed and the prince left the chilly outdoors to be given a tour of NatureMetrics' nearby labs, where he donned a white coat and gloves to help in the first steps of extracting DNA from a sample. He was shown the rest of the process including a DNA extraction machine that produces the DNA code sequence that allows the team to identify everything from bacteria to a blue whale. William told NatureMetrics' chief executive officer Dimple Patel: 'So much of what the environmental world needs right now is data. This is fantastic you guys have got this ability to be able to tell us what's really there. 'There's a lot of guesswork, there's a lot of painstaking volunteers and science going into this, but actually what we need is to be able to understand bigger, large-scale projects as to what is in each area.' NatureMetric has more than 600 clients in 110 countries and they include Forestry England, Nestle, Unilever and wildlife conservation organisation WWF. The company has recently secured £20 million of investment, raised with support from the Earthshot Prize's investment platform Launchpad. Dr Bruce said she had to overcome the 'naysayers' in the early days of setting up the business, and that being involved with the Earthshot Prize, staged this year in Cape Town, was an 'exciting whirlwind'. She said about William collecting the environmental DNA from the pond water: 'We always have fun when we're doing sampling that's why everyone loves doing it, because once you've done it a couple of times you're like 'oh we can have a bit of fun with this, where can we spray.'
