Cheers to that! Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone emerges as shock contender to become official beer partner of Lord’s after Home of Cricket dropped BrewDog
Cheers to that! Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone emerges as shock contender to become official beer partner of Lord’s after Home of Cricket dropped BrewDog
From the farm to the Long Room? Jeremy Clarkson’s brewery is in the running to take over as the official beer supplier at Lord’s, Inside Sport can reveal.
Last week, the Daily Mail reported how the home of cricket had dropped BrewDog.
And it is understood that former Top Gear host Clarkson’s Hawkstone, the fastest-growing brewery in the country last year, is among those seeking to step in as a replacement at the St John’s Wood landmark.
The MCC, which owns Lord’s, declined to comment, but it is understood that Clarkson will go head-to-head with a number of industry heavyweights who have already expressed an interest in taking over the taps at the iconic ground ahead of the summer.
Clarkson, who famously runs his own farm in the Cotswolds, is co-owner at Gloucestershire-based Hawkstone, along with local brewers.
Their range is sold in supermarkets and around one in 10 pubs in the UK and is also exported to 10 European countries. Launched in 2021, it features premium British lagers and ciders and a recently-launched zero per cent option.
Hawkstone will face opposition from some of the industry’s big guns for what is viewed as a prime spot, given Lord’s reputation, prestige and the thirst of many of its visitors.
Heineken and Carlsberg-Britvic and are among those also in the hunt in what is clearly an in-demand opportunity that has been quick to generate serious interest.
The agreement with Scots BrewDog at the 31,000-capacity venue was terminated shortly over a year into a four-year deal following its sale amid a sharp fall in value which saw 38 UK bars closed and 484 staff let go.
Tilray, the US medical cannabis and drinks firm, paid just a fraction of the £2bn it had been valued at just a few years ago.
Robert Lawson, chief executive and secretary of Lord’s owner Marylebone Cricket Club, delivered the news in a letter to MCC members.
‘Following recent changes to the brewery’s business operations, the club believes this is the right step to ensure certainty and continuity ahead of the 2026 season,’ he wrote. ‘A competitive tender process to appoint a new supplier for the coming season and beyond will now begin.’
Lawson also assured members there would be ‘no disruption to service’ at Lord’s and that ‘ongoing relationships’ with real ale providers Adnam’s and Thornbridge would continue.
He added: ‘We are proud that 2025 saw record beer sales at Lord’s, reflecting a strong first year of the partnership.
‘However, our priority is to guarantee the high-quality matchday experience that Members and visitors rightly expect; to do this, we need certainty from our suppliers.
‘We thank BrewDog for their contribution over the past year.’
