Wild Card Brewery ceased trading last week after twelve years, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
A popular brewery in Walthamstow has had one of its three taprooms repossessed by Waltham Forest Council after racking up rent arrears.
No official statement has been made by the owners, though it’s been confirmed that landlord Waltham Forest Council repossessed the brewery’s Lockwood Way taproom over rent arrears.
Wild Card Brewery ceased trading last week after twelve years. In a letter to investors that was shared with the Drinks Business, owners blamed the cost of living crisis and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Balance sheets filed with Companies House last year show the business owed around £228,000 to the bank, on top of £151,000 in VAT and social security debts.
A council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We work hard to assist local businesses and give them the time and support they need to thrive.
“When a company has accrued significant rent arrears, we may need to take action to protect the public purse and ensure taxpayers’ money is used wisely.”
Twenty-one people are employed by the brewery according to Companies House, which also lists the company as still active.
Alongside its Lockwood Way taproom, Wild Card run the Ravenswood Barrel Store in Shernhall Street, and The Tavern on the Hill in Higham Hill Road.
Ravenswood Barrel Store, in Shernhall Street, has also been closed, the Drinks Business reported, while The Tavern on the Hill is expected to keep operating as an independent business, separate from the now defunct brewery.
TimeOut magazine once named Tavern on the Hill the sixth best pub in London.
Wild Card was founded in 2012 by Midlands entrepreneurs William Harris, his partner Jaega Wise and Andrew Birkby.
The Lockwood Way venue, which was also home to live music, had an average rating of 4.6 stars on Google, based on 343 reviews.
Wild Card posted to Facebook for the final time in September. Its final post to X, formerly Twitter, was in March about a then upcoming live performance.
Wild Card Brewery did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
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