Catterall & Swarbrick's Brewery on Talbot Road Closes

Catterall & Swarbrick Brewery was established in Poulton-le-Fylde in 1871 and officially registered in July 1894. The brewery in Blackpool was constructed in 1927. It was acquired by Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd in 1961, along with 104 public houses. Over its years of operation, it provided beverages to off-licenses, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and more, throughout the Fylde coast and beyond. However, the Blackpool site was closed in 1971 and later redeveloped for housing.

In addition to the Poulton site, the brewery also acquired the Newton Springs Brewery. In November 1927, a new brewery was opened at the corner of Devonshire Road and Talbot Road (as seen in the background image), though operations continued at Hardhorn. The brewery also had a bottling store on Kent Road, which later became the Central Working Men’s Club (WMC). The Windmill, located on Preston New Road near the M55 junction, was used as a store. In 1930, the brewery opened the XL Hotel on the A6 near Garstang, named after one of their flagship products. The hotel was later renamed the Chequered Flag in the 1960s.

Mrs Jane Swarbrick ran the Crown Inn on Birley Street in 1858, and by 1876, James Swarbrick was managing the Kings Arms at 99 Talbot Road (formerly New Road), a role he held until at least 1886. Friedrich’s Gazetteer also noted J. Walmesley brewing at New Road in 1884. Catterall & Swarbrick are believed to have begun trading around 1880, with the company thought to have been founded in 1871. By 1885, the business was operating as the Queen’s Brewery in Poulton-le-Fylde. In 1889, Richard Swarbrick & Co became wholesale bottlers at the Railway Hotel on Talbot Road in Blackpool, a location that may have been used by the Nickson family before. In 1876, Hannah Barrett was brewing at the Victoria South Beach, but by 1879, it had transformed into a family and commercial hotel. The Barrett family had likely been involved with the Talbot Hotel, which may have also brewed beer before being managed by the Nickson family. The Nicksons were brewing at 65 Talbot Road and bottling at 44 Talbot Road, at the Station Hotel. By 1882, they were listed solely as ale and porter merchants and bottlers. In 1961, Northern Breweries acquired the brewery, which included 104 pubs. It later became part of the Bass empire and was shut down in 1973, with operations moving to Runcorn. Despite its closure, the brewery’s real ale continued to be brewed for some of its pubs for several years.

On 6th July 1894, Catterall & Swarbrick was incorporated as a limited company with a share capital of £50,000, consisting of 10,000 £5 shares. The directors included:

• Victoria Hotel, Victoria Street, purchased for £4,050
• Brewer’s Arms, Cocker Street, purchased for £7,100 (In 1851, Richard Laycock was running the Brewer’s Arms, North Shore)
• William Catterall, Breck Road, Poulton
• John Swarbrick, Tower Lodge, Poulton
• Tom Lockwood, Golden Ball Hotel, Poulton

Notable pubs included:
• Bay Horse, Church Street, Poulton
• Bloomfield, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
• Belle Vue, Whitegate Drive, Blackpool
• Foxhall, Blackpool
• Number Three, Blackpool
• Pack Horse, Stalmine
• Railway Hotel/Hansom Cab, Lytham
• Royal Oak, Lytham Road, Blackpool
• Saddle Inn, Whitegate Drive, Marton
• Sportsman, Poulton
• Star Inn, Promenade, Blackpool
• Sun Inn, Bolton Street, Blackpool
• White Bull, Great Eccleston

Additionally, there were three beer houses in Fleetwood. In 1896, the brewery acquired two more properties in Blackpool:
• Victoria Hotel, Victoria Street, purchased for £4,050
• Brewer’s Arms, Cocker Street, purchased for £7,100 (with Richard Laycock managing the Brewer’s Arms in 1851)

After the brewery ceased operations in 1971, the land was redeveloped into a new housing estate, which would feature two phases named after the brewery.