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'Proud moment' as new Guinness brewery opens its doors in London

A NEW Guinness Brewery is set to open in London this week offering tours and tastings in the heart of the capital.

The much anticipated Guinness Open Gate Brewery is now up and running and is set to open to the public in Covent Garden on Thursday, December 11.

Guinness owners Diageo have spent £73m creating the iconic new venue, which they describe as a “world-class visitor experience and working microbrewery”.

The new Guinness Open Gate Brewery is set to open in London on December 11

The project has seen the firm transform the Old Brewer’s Yard – a site that first brewed beer over 300 years ago – into a modern destination which “celebrates craft beer, gastronomy, retail, and community”.

“Guinness Open Gate Brewery, London will showcase the very best of Guinness hospitality, providing visitors with new ways to enjoy the nation’s favourite beer,’ Diageo explains.

The new 54,000ft venue includes a working microbrewery where Master Brewer Hollie Stephenson will create limited-edition craft beers and seasonal specials including non-stout varieties and low-alcohol options.

Dublin-brewed Guinness and Guinness 0.0 will also be served at the site.

Guinness tastings and tours will be on offer at the site

Visitors can also take a guided tour of the brewery, enjoy exclusive tasting sessions, and a 360-degree digital experience telling the story of Guinness in London.

There are two restaurants at the site, led by acclaimed British chef Pip Lacey, which will showcase locally sourced British produce and inventive Guinness pairing suggestions.

A ground-level courtyard bar and eatery will also be open for casual dining and community gatherings, while two retail stores will showcase exclusive Guinness collaborations as well as limited-edition merchandise.

The much-anticipated site opens to the public this week

There is also a dedicated private-hire event venue within the space for cultural, community and trade events.

“This week marks a proud moment for Diageo and Guinness in Britain,” Barry O’Sullivan, Managing Director of Diageo Great Britain, said.

“London has played a critical role in Guinness’ success throughout its history, and two centuries after the black stuff arrived in the UK capital, one in seven pints poured in the city is now a Guinness,” he added.

Visitors can learn the story of Guinness at the new site

“This iconic stout has always been about bringing people together, and Open Gate Brewery London builds on that tradition, creating a vibrant space where both visitors and the local community can connect, celebrate, and experience the very best of Guinness hospitality.”

The London site is the fourth Guinness Open Gate Brewery to open globally, including the original Guinness Storehouse at St James’ Gate in Dublin, which celebrates its 25-year anniversary today.

The working brewery boasts restaurants and stores too

Guinness’s three existing Open Gate Breweries are in Dublin and Baltimore and Chicago in the US.

The London venue, which will create up to 250 new jobs, will also serve as the southern UK hub for Diageo’s Learning for Life programme - which offers free hospitality training for those looking to build careers in the industry.

Diageo has confirmed it expects to welcome over half a million visitors to the new Covent Garden site in its first year.

See More: Covent Garden, Guinness Open Gate Brewery, London