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We get asked 'What happened to J. Lyons & Co.?'
Perhaps the best we can do is to invite you to read
Chairman Neil Salmon's annual report for the crucial
year 1977-78 with accompanying profit/loss graphs,
which appeared in the July 1978 'Lyons Mail'. The
poor trading year resulted in a loss of 0.5m pounds,
or 24.2m, depending on which way you look at it. The
board decided not to recommend a final dividend, a
move which was not popular with shareholders. That
was the last trading year for an independent J. Lyons
& Co.. The following day - 28th July 1978 - Allied
Breweries offered to buy the company. Just over a
month later the terms of the sale were agreed upon.
It survived for a few years under new management but
eventually it's component parts were gradually sold
to pay for acquisitions associated with the drinks
trade notably; Hiram Walker of Canada and Pedro Domecq
of Spain. J. Lyons & Co. had nevertheless survived
for over 100-years.
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