George Bateman dies

George Bateman, chairman of the Lincolnshire brewer that bears his name, has died after a long illness.

According to a statement from the company he died peacefully on June 25 aged 79.

Bateman was only the third chairman of the brewer since it was founded in Wainfleet in Lincolnshire in 1874.

He joined his father Harry, who ran the business, in 1950 as executive director in charge of the commercial operation.

As managing director in 1985 he became embroiled in a row with his brother John and sister Helen, who together owned 60 per cent of the brewery, for control of the business after they announced they wanted to sell to the highest bidder.

However, in the summer of the following year Bateman, who held the remaining 40 per cent of the company, managed to raise the necessary finance to buy his siblings' shares.

Bateman's has been very much a family business, with George Bateman's son Stuart and his daughter Jaclyn running the company as joint managing directors.

A private funeral is to be held, while details of a memorial service to be held in Boston, Lincolnshire, will be announced shortly.