Fuller's completes Horndean site deal

London brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner has completed its acquisition of a two-acre site near the former Gale's brewery site in Horndean, Hampshire.

The completion means the group can commence converting the site into a new distribution centre, a move it had in mind when it announced it had bought Gale's in November 2005.

Staff are expected to transfer to the new site once building work has been finished, sometime early next year.

Nigel Atkinson, a Fuller's director and former managing director of Gales Brewery said: "This acquisition was an important element of our strategy to retain a distribution centre within Horndean, whilst allowing the Company's distribution network across the region to be improved and at the same time removing an obstacle to the successful redevelopment of Horndean village centre".

Fuller's currently operates its deliveries from within the former brewery site off London Road, Horndean which is now the subject of a sale for a mixed use village centre redevelopment.

The acquisition of the site on Dell Piece East will allow a purpose-built distribution and administrative office facility to be constructed on the perimeter of the village close to the A3(M) junction, avoiding the need for lorry movements through the village centre.