Well-known head of the Yorkshire brewing dynasty, Simon Theakston, was the guest speaker at Raworths’ recent Business Breakfast Club event which was held at Bettys in Harrogate.
Theakston is arguably the most famous name in brewing in Yorkshire and the Theakston Brewery is in its 189th year, having been started by Simon’s great great grandfather at the Black Bull in Masham. The beer which bears his name is still brewed in Masham – and consumed with relish not only all over the UK but abroad too.
Simon Theakston was responsible for returning the brewery to family ownership after a take-over by Matthew Brown which was subsequently taken over by Scottish and Newcastle. In 2003, Simon succeeded in bringing Theakston back into family ownership and it remains one of the most iconic brands in Yorkshire.
Meanwhile Simon has become perhaps equally famous for his sponsorship of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and support of local arts is a subject he spoke about with great passion, as well as the history and future development of the iconic North Yorkshire brewery.
David Garfitt of the Trusts, Wills and Estates team at Raworths also spoke at the event, giving an overview of the potential wills and Inheritance Tax issues facing agricultural and rural businesses and how best to avoid them. David is one of a team of nine lawyers specialising in trusts, wills and inheritance, making it one of the largest specialist teams in this field in North Yorkshire. David is also recognised as an expert in agricultural law.
Zoe Robinson, managing partner at Raworths, says:
Simon Theakston is a popular figure in our area and it was a pleasure to have him as our keynote speaker at our regular business breakfast event.
