A prominent Kings Heath pub, The Crown on Alcester Road South has been bought by Davenports, one of the UK’s oldest breweries and owner of a large portfolio of award-winning pubs.
Located in the popular area of Kings Heath, the pub, once owned by Stonehouse, will close on the 27th August for a refurbishment and reopen as a My Local pub by Davenports with a familiar name, the Kings Arms.
Commenting on the acquisition, Katie McPhilimey, Associate Marketing Director of Davenports said; “In a former life the pub was called the Kings Arms and was rebranded into The Crown which did not go down well with customers. Our team will breathe new life into the pub transforming it into a My Local by Davenports and reinstate it’s former, fine name!”
Expanding on what the Kings Arms will offer, Katie added; “The My Local pubs within our portfolio offer all the familiar comforts one would expect from their local – great value food, a super drinks line-up, all the sport that people love on the TV screens and free live entertainment at the weekends. Our My Local pubs make the customers spend a rewarding experience.”
Davenports was established in 1829 in Birmingham, and in addition to brewing award-winning ales from their site in Smethwick, the company also boast a growing portfolio of great pubs across the Midlands and surrounding areas to include the winner of three Best Pub Awards, The Coach House in Stratford, The Queens Head in Birmingham City Centre, award-winning pub The Littleton Arms in Penkridge and The Met Sports Bar in Walsall, amongst others.
The company has shown strong growth year-on-year adding new venues as well as new ales to their offering. A voice for the hospitality industry, the company featured on GB news ahead of the election to highlight the policy changes required by the sector to ensure its stability and growth.
Baron W Davenport, Managing Director added; “We are extremely excited by this new pub and its great location, the company continues to grow year-on-year by ensuring it delivers what the customer wants and needs be that in our My Local portfolio, Pub & Kitchens, Sports Bars or Boutique Collection. We hope that customers will love the pub when it reopens and appreciate the name change – or reinstatement!”
Ends
The Crown (will be the Kings Arms), 290 Alcester Road South, Kings heath, Birmingham B14 6EN.
For more information please contact katie.mcphilimey@davenports.co.uk
Davenports Brewery Interesting Facts
Davenports was established in 1829.
1902: A new branch of the business started – manufacturing, bottling, and delivering Davenports non-deposit ale and stout.
1904: Davenports C.B Ltd, registered to supply ‘pure bottled ale and stout at the cheapest possible price’. Quickly reaching delivery to 15,000 homes.
Famous Legal Battle: In 1905 Davenports was accused of ‘Beer Hawking’, selling beer by retail at a place where they were not authorised (beer at home), It was viewed as a hugely important prosecution, fought brilliantly, and won by the very theatrical barrister, Mr Marshall-Hall K.C, on behalf of Davenports in the Victoria Law Courts. Marshall-Hall was later knighted. Davenports had paved the way for other brewers to follow a similar scheme.
The Co-operative beer bottle…A Double Inducement: Within a month of the dismissal of the beer hawking accusation, C.B Ltd launched its prospectus to potential shareholders in the company, which already had proven ‘progressive, substantial, and satisfactory.’ Half of the shares were Ordinary and were divided equally between the three directors and John Davenport and Sons brewery, and half were advertised as customers’ shares. Those who bought them had to commit to buying ten shillings’ worth of bottled ale (CB) or Stour (CS) over a six-month period; if they did not do this, they had to sell their shares at the paid-up value. Holders of these shares were entitled to a 5% cumulative preference dividend and half of the surplus profits of the company in proportion to what they had spent in the year after 5% had been paid to the Ordinary shareholders. The FT wryly dubbed the scheme ‘A Co-operative Beer Bottle,’ more seriously and optimistically, Davenports advertised it as ‘devised to give EVERY shareholder a double inducement to further the interests of the Company.’
Early pioneers in advertising. By 1910, it was obvious that much thought was put into making advertisements lively, pertinent, and appealing. With Davenports seen in national press.
1922 Motorised lorries expanded delivery capability.
Technology: in 1930, The Birmingham Daily Gazette stressed that few of Davenports’ rivals could claim to be as modern in equipment as Davenports which boasted ‘The very latest appliances that science and mechanics have evolved’. In total, three batteries of machines with ten machines in each turned out 120,000 bottles of beer every day!
Continued Investment: More investment in the bottling plant meant that a few years later, Davenports were capable of 24,000 bottles per hour!
Pioneers of Recycling: In the 1930’s, Davenports championed recycling bottles that were returned by customers. Scrupulously cleaned and chilled for reuse in two automatic bottle washing machines at the rate of 12,000 per hour.
1937: More than 250,000 regular customers.
Famous Slogan: In 1939, the ‘Beer at Home Means Davenports’ slogan was first introduced.
That Jingle: Davenports gained much publicity from an advert that featured marketing director Carl Daniels and a catchy ditty:
Beer at Home means Davenports,
That’s the beer, lots of cheer.
The finest hops with malt and yeast
Turns a snack into a feast.
Straight from brewery to your home,
Why collect, we’ll deliver.
Soon you’ll know why folks all say,
Beer at Home means Davenports.
Costing little to make, it was credited with boosting sales to such an extent that in 1973 Davenports’ profits reached just under £1million compared to £86,000 in 1961.
2021: Despite the terrible impact of the pandemic on the industry, Davenports managed to acquire new pubs and venues, refurbish existing pubs whilst also launching ‘Beer at Home’.
Making A Difference:
Reducing box size and lessening void fills all adds to reducing lorries on roads each year.
2022: The Queens Head opened its doors on Steelhouse Lane Birmingham
2022: The Coach House wins Best Pub or Bar in Coventry & Warwickshire 2022 at the Foodie Awards.
2022: The Coach House wins Best Pub, Bar or Restaurant at The Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards.
2022: Davenports returns the brand to Kidderminster with the opening of The Post House, formerly the site of The Red Man pub.
2023: January, Davenports add the award-winning Littleton Arms in Penkridge to their portfolio.
2023: February, Davenports launches Drum Bitter, 3.6% ABV.
2023: The Coach House is the only Midlands pub through to the prestigious Finals of Great British Pub Awards 2023. Four pubs from London, on from Liverpool and The Coach House!
2023: The Coach House is through to the finals of the West Midlands Combined Authority Tourism Awards 2024, Best Pub…the winner is announced March 2024
2023: Davenports Brewery invest over £250,000 into new brewery facilities at their HQ. John Spellar MP unveils a plaque to celebrate the investment.
2023: The Coach House wins Best Pub, BAR OR Restaurant and Best Customer Experience at the prestigious Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards 2023.
2023: Old Ale is relaunched in time for Christmas.
2024: The Post House rebrands as a My Local by Davenports.
2024: February, launch of the new My Local pub, The Butler’s Bell
2024: May, Davenports launches its brand-new Loyalty Card at The Met, which will be rolled out to other venues in due course.
Media Contact: Katie McPhilimey, katie.mcphilimey@davenports.co.uk
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