With a family trust for a majority owner (under a stipulation that it must always hold over 50%) and unable to float new shares on the stock market, Carlsberg was simply out of the big brewery-buying game.

FORBES: Another Look

The chief executive of a national newspaper group or a television network may run a company whose market capitalisation is less than that of a middling bank or brewery, but has far greater political clout.

ECONOMIST: The comfort of strangers | The

Cains is due to submit plans in July for restoring its Grade II-listed brewery and creating a Brewery Village featuring a hotel, cinema, apartments, parking, artisan food market and spa.

BBC: Former Cains employees

United Breweries wants a partner that will not threaten Kingfisher in its domestic market and some say Interbrew, which is reported to be in talks with the Indian brewery at present, is the prime candidate.

BBC: Kingfisher logo