Breach Farm Brewing raises a glass to Rural England Prosperity Fund support
A thriving microbrewery in East Cholderton is toasting its future growth with a grant from the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), delivered by Test Valley Borough Council.
Breach Farm Brewing, based at Haydown Farm, has received just over £10,000 to invest in new equipment that will significantly boost its brewing capacity and efficiency. The funding has enabled the purchase of fermentation tanks, kegs, a malt mill, transfer pump, keg washer and additional cold room capacity that significantly transforms the brewery’s operations.
The new malt mill has dramatically reduced the time it takes to grind malt from several hours to just 10 minutes, while the keg washer and additional cold room capacity have streamlined production and storage. With the new equipment in place, the team is now able to brew more regularly and meet growing demand.
Bob Hamer, co-owner of Breach Farm Brewing, said: “The REPF grant has been a game-changer. The additional fermentation tanks, kegs and cold room space are enabling us to brew more frequently and increase our quantities of beer. The new equipment is making processes such as milling the malt much more efficient. We’re excited for the future. We thank Test Valley Borough Council for the support they have provided to us via the REPF funding, which is just the sort of sensitive localised help a small startup business like ours needs”
The brewery has seen a busy spring and is looking forward to a strong summer, with local food producers joining them from Thursday to Saturday, live music from local artists, and even a couple of weddings booked in. Their new ‘Mug Club’ where members enjoy their own engraved tankards and exclusive perks has also proved popular with regulars.
Councillor Maureen Flood said: “Breach Farm Brewing is a great example of how REPF funding can help rural businesses. It’s fantastic to see how the grant has supported not just increased productivity, but also community engagement and local enterprise.”
The UK Government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that provides capital funding for rural business and rural communities. TVBC received just over half a million pounds up to end March 2025 which has been distributed between businesses and community organisations across the rural areas of our borough to help develop our rural economy. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
