‘DRONING’ ON – The people’s brewery and the powers of community

 

‘DRONING’ ON – The people’s brewery and the powers of community

 From Landworker magazine of Unite the union 

Seven years after local people in Dronfield, Derbyshire set up the only independent community brewery in the country it is thriving.

In the last decade over 150 communities – many from rural areas – have saved their local pub from closure by taking over the ownership and running of these beloved locals. Community pubs are owned by members and run democratically on the basis of one-member-one-vote.

Following a similar path local people, seven years ago, local people in the ancient historical town of Dronfield in North East Derbyshire with an interest in brewing beer and serving the local community formed a community benefit society to establish the Drone Valley Brewery (DVB.) This is the only independent community brewery in the country.

Seven years on, DVB has over 600 members who pay a £10 lifetime membership fee to join and enjoy award-winning beers, make donations to local good causes and help overcome the isolation of some local people. In addition, DVD, by selling their beer at just over cost to local independent pubs helps to keep them afloat in a market dominated by the big brewing companies.

“All that a dozen active volunteers started with was an old industrial unit which needed clearing, cleaning and equipment installing. They bought the kit and the electricals were done on goodwill basis by a local company. As the business was established more people joined especially when a tap room was opened and people could meet up and enjoy each other’s company,” explains chairman Bernard Caddy.

“I joined three years ago after I retired after 42 years as a long-distance lorry driver. I knew quite a lot about beer but wanted to discover more about brewing,” explains Peter Boitoult, a GMB member who can trace his family back to the Norman invasion in 1066 and by which time Dronfield was hundreds of years old.

“We encourage people if they feel isolated to join all the rest of us by becoming a volunteer. All our brewing, racking out and bottling is performed by member volunteers under the supervision of an experienced and qualified brewer whose services we buy in and is the only person paid for his efforts,” said Caddy.

A small annual profit is distributed across the local community. In 2022, DVB made donations to various animal organisations, a church redistribution project, the Air Ambulance plus a nearby school for some chairs and desks.

In 2022, DVB captured a place with its traditional session Dronny Bottom Bitter in the CAMRA dozen best bottled beers in the country category. This was quite an honour for such a small organisation.

Amidst the other beers brewed by DVD are Coal Aston Porter and Gosforth Gold a 4% classic pale ale named, like all DVB beers, after a local area.

The bar in Dronfield is open from 4pm to 8pm on Friday and Saturday and there are also occasional Sunday evening sessions. The Friday night I attended wa lively, with drinkers clearly enjoying the craic and the beer.

If you’d like to become a DVD member and the £10 is for life then ring 07519 204497

Drone Valley Brewery is at Unstone Industrial Complex, Main Road Unit 2, Dronfield S18 4AB