News from the Tap Room

We were very pleased to welcome members of the Livery to our final Tap Room Chat in 2021 last night. These virtual events, offering our members an opportunity to keep in touch with (and indeed get to know) their fellow Liverymen, have been a great success throughout lockdown and beyond. We have been excited to be able to offer the opportunity for members to engage with each other in a new format that is easy to use and conveniently fits into busy schedules, and aim to continue to include virtual events in our programme in the future.

At last night’s event, guests were treated to a fascinating insight into the history of the Company’s Royal Charters from our Archivist, Hannah Dunmow. The Company has had seven charters over the years, largely because they were so expensive to produce and the monarch of the day would often insist that companies commission a new charter to generate income for the Crown! We are looking forward to sharing the full story with the wider Livery in a forthcoming news article.

Our Beadle, James Fitzgerald, presented a video update of the Brewers’ Hall redevelopment project, showing the progress to date. The steel and timber work for the new fourth and fifth floors are now in place and the old roof on what will be the third floor of the new building has been removed. The kitchen and toilets on the first floor, where the Hall and Court Room are located, have been stripped out preparing the way for the new gallery and reception area which will enhance the event space for both Company and private events. On the ground floor, the new entrance to what will be the tenanted area has been created and the floor removed so that it can be lowered, allowing street-level, step free access.