Simon Buckley buys remnants of Archers from administrators

Brewing entrepreneur Simon Buckley has acquired a number of assets including brand names previously owned by defunct Swindon brewer Archers for an undisclosed sum.

Archers went into administration in March this year, the second time the brewer had gone into administration in two years.

Buckley owns the Evan-Evans Brewery in Llandeilo, West Wales and is the seventh generation of Buckleys to brew in the Principality - his family owned the Buckleys Brewery in Llanelli.

He plans to use the assets from Archers to develop a new Swindon-based brewing and wholesaling operation called Wiltshire Ales to partner production from Evan-Evans, which he founded in 2003.

A new distribution centre will also be set up in Swindon and an unspecified number of jobs will be created.

"We will be revitalising some of the famous Archers brands and adding new Wiltshire Ale seasonal beers," said Buckley.

Brewing of Archers brands will eventually be carried out at new production facilities also being built in Swindon, but until these have been completed they will be made at Evan-Evans Brewery.

Buckley said the Archers deal would be the first of several for Evan-Evans.

"We remain committed to brewing in Llandeilo where we are making further investment to build on the Evan-Evans brands.

In recent years the Archers brands had lost their way, quality-wise, Buckley said, but he was determined to "return them to their former glory".

Brewing of Archers beers is due to move from Wales to the Wiltshire plant "in the early part of next year".