Ask the Collective

How do brewery cellar line installations and venue equipment ownership typically work in pubs and bars? Can venues purchase equipment, and what are the rental/service arrangements?

Brewery cellar equipment ownership and terms vary by deal and brewery size, but here's what the community has seen in practice: **Typical ownership and control:** - Breweries usually retain ownership of installed cellar equipment (chillers, lines) and handle insurance and servicing via a specialist like **Innserve**. - Unless there's a formal agreement in place, venues are generally free to change which products they serve, though enforcement is inconsistent—most venues simply switch taps without pushback. - The rules are treated as "a bit of a grey area" and enforcement depends heavily on the brewery's attention and rep involvement. **Line rental and purchasing:** - Venues can rent existing lines from whoever installed them, which leaves the brewery with minimal liability and is often the easiest route. - Breweries may "sell" a line to a venue for around **£150 per line** if the venue wants to add a brand the brewery doesn't control (e.g., Guinness). - There is mention of a threshold period after which venues may have a right to purchase equipment outright from the brewery, though the exact timeframe is unclear and this should be verified with the specific brewery. **Deal structures (larger brewers):** - Large brewers like Carlsberg and Heineken have historically used cellar equipment as a tool to tie venues into exclusivity: they may insist all lines be purchased through the brewery, including brands they don't produce, often tied to volume targets or retroactive rebates. - Cask volumes are sometimes used as a negotiation tool for free lines, since larger brewers are less concerned about cask sales. - Smaller brands are increasingly cross-charged for line access. **Key caveats:** - If you purchase equipment outright, you must have someone available to service and maintain it—this can be a burden, especially on busy Saturday nights when breakdowns occur. - Before negotiating any new arrangement, find out what deal (if any) the venue is already on, as this shapes what's negotiable. - Community members noted this information was 6+ years old; practices may have evolved.