Nick Taylor, our Vision Manager, has been getting to know local business owners and discussing their successes, issues and challenges and how progressing the aspirations set out in the Kendal Vision will support them, and the wider town, in future.

Nick has recently met Richard Husbands from Bowness Bay Brewing.

If you ever need motivating, go and spend an hour with this man!

His story of how he started and got brewing on the site at Castle Mills, rapidly outgrowing his first unit and then doubling the site, acquiring the best equipment allowing him to expand further and produce award winning excellent beers, is an object lesson in ‘how to do it right’.

With four qualified brewers now on the team, they are well placed as Cumbria’s leading brewer.  “Everything is local,” said Richard.  The whole process from brewing to bottling takes place in the county using Cumbria Bottling as a strategic partner.  The quality of the water in the area allows you to brew German style beers and by subtly changing the process and some ingredients, traditional cask ales are produced.

What’s more the move to produce bottled beer just before the start of the pandemic, allowed production to increase to keep the retail sector supplied.  This sector has continued to grow owing to the lovely range for ‘beer at home’ and now with the return to the pub for many, the delight at drinking a pint of cask beer has been evident in the level of consumption.

Richard is now in the process of developing a further space into an event area as well as the lovely, rustic Barrel House.  The whole site oozes quality and attention to detail and with the warmer weather coming up soon, is certainly a great place to go – so watch out for music and events at this great venue.