Anne Hathaway

In the final week of August 2011, England was hit by one of the most destructive storms in living memory, causing widespread damage and disruption. The deluge led to the evacuation of cities, the felling of countless trees, and the wreaking of havoc all across the country. One of the most prominent businesses to be hit was Smiths Brewery, who at the time of the storm were producing around 90,000 bottles of cask-conditioned ale a day – though production had ceased at the site back in May due to the high pressure brewing system being rendered inoperable by the sheer weight of water that poured in from the sky.

The company has continued to operate as normal since the storm, with production and bottling being carried out at a nearby site – but the damage to their main production brewery was significant. Around 60% of the building’s roof was damaged, with leaked water damaging the interior in a process known as “flooding” – essentially rendering it uninhabitable. Smiths had to shut down the site permanently – and with limited space and little interest in purchasing a derelict site, the decision was made to sell off the contents of the company’s warehouses and offices.

One of the most significant casualties of the storm was Smiths’ archives – around 80,000 historical documents, spanning 140 years, were damaged by the deluge. Luckily, the company kept backup copies of these documents, and while the majority were irretrievably ruined by the floodwater, a significant number were rescued and preserved.

On 7 September 2011, a public inquiry into the storm was held at Horseley Park in Bolton. Former England captain and Manchester United manager, Eric Cantona, was appointed by the government to head up the inquiry, and he began his investigations at the scene of the crime. It was revealed during the inquiry that the damage done by the floods at Smiths’ brewery was actually far greater than originally thought. According to an investigation by the Daily Telegraph, the company’s warehouses and offices had been completely submerged by water – rendering them a total loss. The only significant asset that Smiths was able to retain was the packaging that was on the site when the storm hit – as this was transported to higher ground and kept dry, the company were able to continue operating even from a limited capacity.