Independent Bristol brewery Arbor Ales has acquired the Glassboat, a permanently moored barge on the city's harbourside, for an undisclosed sum. The craft beer producer has taken over the running of the venue from Six O'clock Gin owners Bramley and Gage Ltd, which was recently acquired by Eller's Farm Distillery, co-owned by comedian Ricky Gervais.
Plans for the venue
Arbor Ales is now planning to turn the Welshback-based venue into an "exciting" bar, restaurant and events venue, it said. Jon Comer, director of Arbor Ales, said: "The Glassboat is such an iconic part of Bristol, and we're genuinely excited to have the opportunity to take it on. We've known the venue for years and always felt there was huge potential there.
"For us, it's about bringing the Glassboat back to life and creating somewhere that feels distinctly Bristol, with great food, great beer and a really welcoming atmosphere. We've got lots of ideas for the space and can't wait to get started."
History and legal details
Arbor Ales, founded in 2007 and now one of the city's most prominent craft beer producers, first applied to Bristol City Council for a premises licence for the Glassboat in August. The Glassboat was last sold in 2023 after being vacant for a year.
Law firm Thrings led on all legal aspects of the share purchase deal for Arbor Ales, led by corporate partner Simon Hore, with support from solicitor Shana McBean and advice from Ros Trotman, partner in Thrings' planning and environment team.
Reaction to the deal
Mr Hore said: "Bristol is renowned for its thriving independent microbrewery and craft beer scene and Arbor has become one of the city's great success stories. This deal is a great example of a local business investing confidently in its home city and it has been a pleasure to support the team on this significant step.
"We're excited to see the plans they have for the Glassboat come to life soon and wish the whole team every success for this next exciting chapter." Mr Comer added: "We're also really pleased to have got the deal over the line and hugely grateful to Simon and the team at Thrings for all their help throughout the process."
