Diageo to invest £73m to open Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard in London

Diageo said that it will invest £73 million in a new microbrewery and culture hub in London under the name ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard’.

The Beverage alcohol company is aiming to open the new microbrewery in Autumn 2023. It will be located in Covent Garden at a site where Old Brewer’s Yard had first brewed beer in 1722. Currently, the site is owned by the Mercers’ Company.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “This multi-million-pound investment is a crucial vote of confidence in our Capital.

“300 years after brewing the first beer in Old Brewers Yard, it’s fantastic to see Guinness breathing life into our hospitality and tourism industries and creating more jobs and training opportunities in central London.”

Diageo to invest £73m to open Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard in London. Image courtesy of Diageo.

The new microbrewery in Covent Garden is planned to produce limited edition beers apart from offering guests tours with Guinness beer specialists.

The announcement to build Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard follows Diageo success with the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland, and the opening of Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh last year.

Diageo expects the new 50,000 sq ft microbrewery and culture hub in Covent Garden to generate up to 150 jobs.

Dayalan Nayager — Managing Director of Diageo Great Britain said: “We’re excited to create a new home for Guinness in the heart of London. ‘Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard’ will strengthen London’s hospitality community and be a must-visit destination for thousands of visitors to enjoy.”

The opening of Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard will be contingent on planning permission and consultation period.