Hartlepool's Camerons Brewery is planning growth and expansion after huge turnaround in trading results

The company, whose origins date back 157 years, has reported a jump in turnover from £22.9million for the year to May 2, 2021, to £50million by December last year.

Camerons has also bounced back from the pandemic with a £400,000 profit for the 8 months up to December. That’s a turnaround of nearly £8million on the £7.4million loss the previous full year.

Results are set to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022, company officials have predicted.

Chief executive Chris Soley said Camerons was coming out of the pandemic ‘in a position of strength and are now planning for further growth.”

He added: “We are immensely proud of the resilience our team has shown to help navigate us through the challenges that Covid has presented.”

"The return to profit provides a solid financial platform to build upon for the future and we are delighted to once again be looking forward and investing in the expansion of our brewing and retail business.”Financial director John Foots was ‘extremely pleased to report a strong set of results. The last two years has been a very challenging time for the industry and our company, and I’m delighted by the resilience our staff have shown to get us to this position. ”

Results show that the brewer’s trading was on an upward trajectory as it went through the 2021 calendar.

The business, which has its headquarters at the historic Lion Brewery site, was ‘slightly derailed’ by the emergence of Omicron variant in mid-December and the restrictions which were reimposed on the sector just as the brewer was entering the busiest time of the year.

But pub trading is strong across all divisions and the company is continuing to win new contracts, say bosses.

As well as brewing its own high quality beers and lagers, including its flagship beer, Strongarm, Camerons is a major contract brewer for UK and major world brewers.Camerons also has a growing retail pub estate of more than 70 venues.