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5d ago

Samuel Smith’s Brewery Shuts Down The Abbey Pub Over Social Media Breach

The abrupt closure of the 900-year-old Derbyshire pub highlights tensions between strict brewery policies and community preservation efforts.

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Overview

  • The Abbey pub in Darley Abbey, reopened in September 2024 after a four-year campaign, was closed on May 21, 2025, by Samuel Smith’s Brewery.
  • The brewery cited a social media post featuring photos of the pub as the reason for the closure, enforcing its strict no-photo policy.
  • Licensees managing the pub since its reopening were dismissed without notice, and the brewery removed the alcohol inventory from the premises.
  • Councillor Martin Repton, a key figure in the reopening campaign, has offered to meet brewery owner Humphrey Smith to discuss reopening the pub.
  • The closure reflects a broader trend of sudden shutdowns by Samuel Smith’s Brewery, known for its rigid rules and unilateral decisions impacting local communities.