Davenports’ famous Beer at Home service returns to Birmingham

The iconic ‘Beer at Home’ service which had been offered for generations by Davenports Brewery in Birmingham and the Black Country is set to the return this Christmas.

The brewery began operating home deliveries over a century ago, and the old tradition, which Davenports last offered in 1989, has now been given a new lease of life with the Midlands brewing house set to restart the popular service.

Davenports’ relaunch has been inspired by its original deliveries which started in 1899, when a dray and shire horse were used to deliver bottles of ale directly to customers’ homes.

Now the beers can be ordered online, and will arrive in Davenports’ Beer at Home boxes, courtesy of a courier service.

To mark the event, the official reinstatement of Davenports’ deliveries will take place at one of the brewery’s pubs, the Bulls Head on Bishopsgate Street in the Westside district at 1pm this Friday (3 December).

A shire horse will be present at the event, symbolically delivering the first offering of Davenports’ renewed service.

The brewery currently operates a number of pubs, including the Bulls Head, the Coach House in Stratford, The Elms in Shareshill, Dares Bar in Tamworth, and Port House in Stourport-Upon-Severn.

The Beer at Home tradition

Davenports started operating its Beer at Home service officially in 1904 and a distribution network was eventually set up all over the country.

The home delivery business suffered during the war years due to the rationing of brewing materials and fuel for transport, but after the war the company successfully utilized television for advertising and the business prospered again.

By 1985, Davenports owned 123 pubs.

Home deliveries played a decreasing role in the company and in 1986 an agreed merger took place between Davenports Brewery Ltd and Greenall Whitley plc, and the company’s original Bath Row site was decommissioned over the next few years.

What has been said about the relaunch?

Cen Hayward, sales director at Smethwick-based Davenports, said: “E-commerce is hugely important and the time is right to relaunch our own dedicated Beer at Home service.

“Europe now consumes 20% of the world’s beer, and this is expected to grow annually. Industry insiders suggest that Covid-19 may have advanced the evolution of online alcohol sales by up to three years – in just three months!

“With more purchases being made online, people want quick, secure delivery to their home to suit their lifestyle.”

Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting this historic relaunch, and we’ve invited the great and the good of Birmingham to be at the Bulls Head to witness what will be a great event.

“Davenports was a huge brand in its day and who knows, just maybe under the new world of direct delivery it could have a resurgence.”

You will be able to order ‘Beer at Home’ on the company’s website here.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.