Buxton family help out Derbyshire brewers by selling “thousands” of pints online

Lee Wilson-Hart and his wife Jenni, of Warslow’s Greyhound Inn, began selling small brewers’ beer around High Peak and the rest of the county before the pandemic fully took hold.

Since setting up Peak District Beers the couple have started receiving orders from as far afield as London - while they have also had enquiries from the USA.

Lee, 35, told how six pumps at the bar in his pub - which he bought in January 2019 - were devoted solely to Derbyshire breweries.

As the spread of Covid began to take hold in February last year Lee realised without support many microbreweries in the area may not survive - meaning no local beer to sell at his hyperlocal pub.

With the business rapidly growing - Peak District Beers orders since March accounted for 25 per cent of Derby’s Dancing Duck Brewery’ sales - the couple are preparing to launch a webshop.

Dad-of-two Lee said: “As the pub closed it struck us that with us not selling the beer there might end up not being any local breweries left.

“We prefer using local beer to support the local economy and if you’re not relying on imported commercial beer you’re not contributing to all those air miles transporting it.

“So when the March lockdown happened and the pub closed we thought, ‘why not help some people out?’”

After delivering to thirsty beer lovers in Derby and Nottingham stuck at home during weeks of sunshine when lockdown began, word spread and orders started flying in from all over the country.

Tourists who had visited the pub and liked its Facebook page started hearing about the mini-keg and bottle deliveries.

Lee and Jenni, unable to deliver as far afield now use a nationwide courier service guaranteeing next-day delivery - with requests flying in from ale appreciators hosting tasting sessions over Zoom.

Peak District Beers are launching their online shop in the next few weeks.

You can find out when it goes live or place and order by messaging their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/peakdistrictbeers or by emailing [email protected].

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.