The nearest pub to the Brew Wales headquarters is the Man of Gwent, Chepstow Road, Newport. Now it's not a pub Brew Wales particularly likes and the Murenger House is a more favoured haunt but one thing intrigues us - the sign clearly announces it is a 'Free House'. Now a Free House is one that is not tied to any brewer or pub company and can in theory buy beer and cider etc from any supplier. In practise a Free House will have a part tie with a brewer in order to achieve a good deal on their products. But the Man of Gwent has always been tied. It was opened as a pub in 1966 by the brewers Courage and remained with them for years until Scot-co and eventually Punch took it over. It has never been a Free House and has always been tied. A flagrant example of false advertising here. Whilst on the subject, how many true free houses are there are in Newport? The answer is suprisingly few. The Pen & Wig, Stow Hill is one, are there any others?
