Here’s the latest as of May 2026:
Greene King has agreed to sell its Old Speckled Hen beer brands to Damm UK, the British arm of the Spanish brewer SA Damm. Production will continue temporarily at Greene King’s Westgate Brewery during a transition, with long-term production moved to Damm’s new Bedford facility, and the Westgate site slated for eventual closure. This move follows Greene King’s broader shift away from producing beer for off-trade (retail supermarket) sales and toward focusing on its pub operations. The Old Speckled Hen family (Old Speckled Hen, Golden Hen, Old Craft Hen, Master Hen, and Low Alcohol Old Speckled Hen) will remain available in major UK supermarkets and retailers during the transition.[1][8][9][10]
Background context: Old Speckled Hen is a flagship ale for Greene King, accounting for a significant share of its beer sales in UK retail. The deal is part of a strategic refocus on pubs rather than off-trade retail.[3][5][1]
Public and industry coverage notes: Reports describe the sale as a major strategic move, with coverage highlighting potential future closures of related facilities and the shift of production to a newer Damm facility in Bedford.[8][10][1]
If you’d like, I can pull up a succinct timeline of the key events and provide a quick one-page summary with citations. Also, I can search for impact on local pubs in Grapevine, TX, or provide a brief overview of Old Speckled Hen’s history.
Citations:
Greene King had already said it planned to shut 150 of its pubs and now it is also selling its flagship Old Speckled Hen brands to Spanish brewer Estrella Damm
www.mirror.co.ukGreene King has sold its Old Speckled Hen beer brands to Damm UK, the British arm of Spanish brewer SA Damm, as the pub operator shifts its focus away from supermarket sales. The deal will lead to the long-term closure of the brand's Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, though Greene King is building a new £40 million facility in the town. The latest National and International News - upday News
www.upday.comProduction of the former Morland brand will shift from Suffolk to Bedford.
www.bbc.comOld Speckled Hen 4.5% 4.5G CASK
www.tennentsdirect.comOld Speckled Hen
www.drinksupermarket.comPub owner's sale to Barcelona-based brewer Damm is latest takeover of a British beer by an overseas buyer
www.theguardian.comOld Spooky Hen, the seasonal rebadge, is making a return for the month of October with more treats than ever...
www.beerguild.co.ukThe move is also expected to lead to the closure of the one of the brand's brewerys.
www.express.co.ukThe owner of Estrella is to buy the brands and transfer production to its recently built brewery site in Bedford over a transition period.
www.standard.co.uk