A FAMILY-run Radcliffe brewery has hit the ground running post-lockdown after launching two new ventures.

Brightside Brewing Company has opened a new on-site shop and created an online store helping them expand their business and create new jobs.

The brewery was established in 2011 by former baker and husband and wife team Neil and Maxine Friedrich, alongside son and daughter Lance and Carley.

The family's simple mission was to create quality, artisan-brewed beer, and they initially operated a 2.5 barrel plant, brewing just 10 casks a day, seven days a week.

From humble beginnings Brightside now runs a 20 barrel plant capable of producing up to 80 casks of each brew ­— equivalent to 3,200 litres of beers ­— and were brewing four to five times a week pre-Covid.

Brightside has built strong relationships within the hospitality trade in Bury and the North West, and their beers are now on offer in numerous pubs, restaurants, hotels and event spaces.

But when the coronavirus crisis hit alcohol sales suffered a huge blow as pubs and eateries were forced to close during lockdown.

The sector is slowly recovering. but Brightside were unwilling to rest on their laurels and so launched an entirely new side to their business ­— developing an online beer shop with home delivery service, and providing over the counter sales from their base on Dale Industrial Estate.

Brightside's marketing director, Carley Friedrich said: “Things were incredibly tough in March when we saw 95 per cent of our trade customers close their doors overnight as a result of the nationwide lockdown to control the virus.

"We knew we had to do something quickly, so we opened a sales counter at the brewery for the public, set up our online shop and created a whole new side to the business."

So far, the results are said to have been 'very encouraging' with rising counter and online sales.

The success of the launch has also created jobs in the recent appointment of new staff to work in the shop and to help with deliveries.

Ms Friedrich added: "As a result we’ve taken on new staff, and have lots planned as we expand our operations.

“Client feedback has been very encouraging, and we can see the real benefits of offering our beers directly and developing a new kind of relationship with our customers

“These new innovations will definitely play a growing part in the Brightside story”

For more details or to order visit www.brightsidebrewing.co.uk.