Goddards Brewery is up for sale less than 12 months after the bespoke Branstone-based premises was opened.
Founded by husband and wife team Alix and Anthony Goddard in 1993, the producer of classic cask ales and kegged craft beers ‘born and brewed on the island’ relocated to Branstone from their previous base in Ryde back in March 2023.
The Branstone hub also contains a bar and restaurant, as well as an area where the public can see brewing in action from a purpose-built mezzanine deck.
According to Rightmove, the business has a turnover of circa £673,000 with a gross profit of around £121,000, although these figures were taken prior to the opening of the facility.
There are a total of 33 employees on site with 20 full-time and 13 part-time staff members.
Offers for the premises are invited, price is available on application only.
But how much of that turnover was the overpriced mandatory membership fee?
What a shock always going to be a white elephant.
Why was it built nobody went there?
The ‘members only’ business model has potentially been its downfall.
It’s a great facility, but locals and visitors need to be able to visit without signing up.
I’ve always liked Goddards. Maybe time for a change in approach.
The island needs a decent brewery. New world hops, IPA’s and session beers are where it’s at.
Serve bright beer to ‘take away’ and allow people to taste freshly brewed beer at the brewery.
Just my opinion, but the island needs this.
15 of us out on a sunny July afternoon on a pub and Bus tour of the Island as we do year after year . Would have loved to have visited but £12 for a one off visit ,no chance .
The brewery was run by a couple and the wife has very sadly died. I just love everyone in these comment sections absolutely triple-jumping to conclusions. Let’s introduce the island echo commenter athletics! Maybe a great new fantasy league for all those with time for thumb twiddling and navel gazing.
If what you say is true about one of the couple dying that is obviously very sad, and I am sure anyone would understand that would be a valid reason for the surviving person putting the business up for sale, especially if their heart was no longer in it. The comments on the business model though are also very valid. Why should anyone have to pay a membership fee just to enter a retail premise? Not something that is likely to be successful on this island.
IMHO Required Yates brewery to merge with Goddards brewery, at this property, then there would of been more choice of traditional beer (dark side of the wight etc) to the fashionable hoppy beer that Goddards brew
It was never going to work, just encouraging drink driving
What a plonker..
£12,50 to walk through the door..?? I drove to the carpark, checked the website to see what this ‘membership fee’ was all about and then started the car and drove off again. What an utterly stupid business model. No surprise/
See the comment above sadly the wife has died and the husband no longer wishes to carry on the business… Once again the Island art of assumption is alive and kicking! Try engaging brain before your feet walk out your mouth!.
Sad that someone has died, but still true. I took my daughter there for lunch but was asked for £25 at the door and the restaurant wasn’t even open. When pubs are struggling to survive, an entry fee seems bizarre, and a sure way to guarantee failure.
Not assuming anything, just commenting that the business model isn’t popular with some, especially those who only want to visit once while on holiday. It is a comments site after all. I’m sorry to hear Alix Goddard has died. Condolences to the family
Went there with visiting familly hoping to have a look around with a beer or 2 and just get a feel for the place. Ended up disappointed as we were required to become members at a cost ( this did include a range of sample size beers ) but that just wasn’t what we were looking for. Went away thinking ” no thank’s “.Sad to say not surprised it’s failing.
So what happens to the 1 off membership fee????
I would have loved too see inside but the fee put me off ,,,,, thank goodness…..
Surely they must have known that they were retiring, or at least going to sell up ??????
So the fee charges should be refunded, false information……?
Let’s hope they have the decency to do what’s right !?!?
Let’s face it nobody else will pay this fee now it is up for sale
..
Nobody died. Its the business that died. DAAAA!