Brewery issues photo appeal ahead of 40th birthday

The first Bushy's ale was made in November 1985

A micro-brewery on the Isle of Man has asked people to share photographs and memories for inclusion in a book to mark the company's 40th anniversary.

Bushy's Ale was first brewed in November 1985, in a cellar below what became known as Bushy's Brew pub on Victoria Street in Douglas.

Martin Brunnschweiler said when he founded the brewery he "could never have imagined it would last this long".

The book is being written by John Quirk.

Buchy's had a TT Beer tent at the Bottleneck carpark until 2018

After 14 years at the Bushy's Brewery pub, known for its live music, the company had to move when its lease ran out.

It subsequently acquired the Rovers Return in the Manx capital.

For 20 years until it lost the spot in a tendering process, Bushy's ran a beer tent in the Bottleneck car park during the annual TT festival.

The company responded by establishing a TT Village at the Villa Marina.

Reflecting on the last 40 years, Brunnschweiler said it had been a "rollercoaster, but I have started to think things do happen for a reason".

He said locals and visitors alike would have "memories related to Bushy's over the years", whether it was "gigs in the big room at the original Bushy's bar or nights in the Rovers Return".

"We want the book to be a celebration of the Bushy's name and everyone who has been involved along the way, including the staff, the punters, and the musicians who have played at our venues," he continued.