Brewing will continue at the Charles Wells site in Bedford Credit: ITV Anglia
The historic Charles Wells brewery in Bedford has been sold for £55 million.
Charles Wells has been brewing in Bedford for 140 years.
Charles Wells has also sold its brands including Bombardier, Courage, and McEwan's.
But the new owner, Marston's, said it's committed to the future of brewing in Bedford. Charles Wells will concentrate on creating craft beers and managing its pubs.
Charles Wells says the sale marks an exit from higher volume national sales in favour of a more local and smaller scale brewing future in Bedford. It says it also wants to concentrate on its managed pubs in the UK and France.
The Campaign for Real Ale said it was always concerned about brewery buy-outs, but that Marston's had a good track record of keeping open the businesses it buys.
