THE sale of a cider factory in Somerset will ensure the golden nectar continues to be made there as history comes full circle.

C&C Group plc has today (Wednesday, October 19) sold Shepton Mallet Cidery to Brothers Drinks Co Ltd, the makers of Brothers Cider.

Earlier this year, Brothers Drinks acquired from C&C a bottling line housed in one of the external buildings close to the main site.

The sale announced today will mean Brothers Drinks will have acquired the whole cidery and ensure that the famous site which has a long tradition of cider making stretching back to the 18th Century continues.

Brothers Drinks intends to produce its popular brand Brothers Cider and expand its contract packing business.

It intends to retain approximately 24 C&C employees.

The acquisition is expected to complete in the next couple of months or sooner.

In January 2016, C&C announced that it intended to consolidate production from its sites in Shepton Mallet and Borrisoleigh into its manufacturing site in Clonmel, Tipperary.

Billy Mason, C&C Group, said “We are pleased that we have completed the sale to a local and well-known cider company which maintains the history of the site and will provide opportunity for some of our employees to stay on under the Brothers team.

"Finding a trade buyer was always our ideal outcome and so it feels good to have completed this transaction and we will now focus on a smooth handover.”

A statement issued by the Showering brothers, owner managers of Brothers Drinks, said: “This famous cidery is very much part of our heritage as it was originally owned by our family.

"We are excited therefore to be bringing it back into the company and we are looking forward to making cider here and over time taking full advantage of this great site.”