our history - the James Clay story

James Clay began with a vision: to introduce a better, more relaxed and continental way to eat and drink in the UK. This simple vision led Ian to restore a derelict canal-side warehouse into The Moorings pub and restaurant in 1978.

The heart of The Moorings was the quality of beer served and an expectation of their customers to try new beers whenever possible, either from the UK or abroad.

Frustrated by the inability to source a good selection of continental beers in the UK Ian, alongside his father and Andrew, began importing direct from European breweries - resurrecting the trading name 'James Clay & Sons' from Ian's great grandfather. The response was overwhelming: people enjoyed, and traveled to enjoy, a new world of beer and its intriguing insight into the diverse European cultures.

In 1982 the Moorings baton was passed on in order to focus solely on discovering, importing and distributing speciality beers to the increasingly receptive local pubs, bars and restaurants. It was becoming clear that James Clay was at the forefront of a revolution in the UK beer drinking experience.

From modest first steps the business has seen steady growth over the years and now boasts a portfolio of some 180 brands including beer, non-alcoholic beverages and fruit juices.

The company continues to abide by its founding principles of discovering and supplying the very best in specialty beer to help them deliver a competitive advantage through quality drinking experiences.

Our People - Meet the James Clay Team