The Building Societies Association (BSA) has teamed up with co-operatively owned Hesket Newmarket Brewery to craft a special commemorative beer.
The beer is being brewed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the world’s first known building society, founded in a Birmingham pub in 1775.
The story goes that Richard Ketley, landlord of the Golden Cross Inn, Birmingham, invited his regulars to save a little each week until they could afford to buy land and build one of them a house. The group drew lots to decide who would get the first house, then they all kept saving and building until each of them had a new home. The first building society in the world had been born, based on the principles of mutual support and financial co-operation.
To celebrate these historic beginnings, the BSA and the Lake District-based brewery have crafted Ketley’s Golden Cross, a classic English golden ale. The beer will be served for the first time at the Building Societies Annual Conference in Birmingham on 7-8 May.
The traditional golden ale has been made using predominantly classic English hop varieties as a base and a good dose of US Citra hops to give the beer a modern twist. The addition of oats gives a smooth finish, making Ketley’s Golden Cross a very sessionable beer, says the BSA.
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This collaboration reflects a broader movement towards expanding the co-operative and mutual sector – a goal supported by the government’s manifesto commitment to doubling its size. With customer-owned building societies rooted in local communities across the UK, and Hesket Newmarket Brewery embodying the same co-operative spirit, this partnership was a natural fit.
“It was important to us that we worked with a co-operative brewery,” said BSA CEO Robin Fieth, “to commemorate the proud heritage of the building society sector while also demonstrating the power of consumer-owned organisations working together to make their communities a better place.
“This beer is not just a nod to history, it’s a toast to the future of co-operation, community, and shared success, and I look forward to toasting the history and future of building societies in Birmingham.”
Richard Lowth, chair of Hesket Newmarket Brewery, added: “We are delighted to work with the Building Societies Association to brew a commemorative golden ale for this very special anniversary. As a co-operatively-owned microbrewery, one of the first in the country, we are proud that our business embodies the ethos and the benefits of community ownership.”
