16th March 2026
Written by Holly Richardson
Dave Holland celebrates 25 years at Robinsons
With 25 years at Robinsons under his belt, Dave Holland has seen the business grow, change and evolve from the inside out. Now Warehouse Manager at our Brewing and Packaging Centre, Dave plays a key role in keeping all our products moving from our brewery and bottling hall to the outside world, all while leading a hardworking team.
What brought you to Robinsons?
The reputation of Robinsons brought me here. Growing up in Stockport, Robinsons had always had great reputation and I love the history of the company dating back to 1838. A time came where I’d faced redundancy and there was a job vacancy. I had Friends of friends who worked here and I knew how much they loved it, so it was a no-brainer to apply with.
I started work in the transport office and shortly after becoming a warehouse supervisor before getting promoted to Warehouse Manager, around 15 years ago.
Talk us through your role as Warehouse Manager
My main responsibility is to manage the hard-working two-shift operation and systems within the warehouse at our Brewery & Packaging Centre.
This involves overseeing the stock control with our Product Buyer, Paul Stroud. We oversee a large amount of goods coming into and going out of the site. We can have a stock holding of over 2000 pallets of beer and wine and can also store over 4000 cask and kegs within the warehouse areas at any given time.
For our pubs, we’re responsible for ensuring that our customer receive the correct order, the items they want are in stock, and that their deliveries are loaded onto our dray vehicles, ready to be distributed the following morning. We’ll place the orders and co-ordinate the arrival and storage of our third-party bought-in products too. These include kegs, bottles, soft drinks, plus all the wines and spirits.
We’ll also oversee the delivery and storage of all the packaging that we need for our bottling plant and more recently, we’ve been assisting with the delivery of the raw ingredients for our beers.
It sounds like a busy place?
Yes, it can be! We schedule product deliveries to arrive at different times throughout the day. Then from midday we begin picking all our customer orders and loading our dray wagons. This can continue to 11pm in the evening to ensure that everything is ready for the dray to start deliveries from 6.15am each morning.
It’s almost a 24-hour operation then!
And, you’ve of course got the external distribution side of things which we handle too. This includes all the beers which we contract bottle and then send out to our customers, as well as our own brewed bottled beer. These deliveries can go from the Orkney Islands in Scotland to the South Coast of England. That’s without mentioning Trooper! We export Trooper to up to 60 countries worldwide.
So we ship them overseas directly from Robinsons?
Oh, yeh, absolutely. We’ll package them and label them up for customs. I was only a family holiday a few years ago and spotted our bottles in Ontario in Canada. It was so great to see our products on shelves in a supermarket there and to chat to some of the locals who were huge fans of the beer and Iron Maiden.
Did you always see yourself staying at Robinsons for 25 years?
Not at all. Like most people, I came in to do a job and work hard, but I never imagined I’d still be here 25 years later. Time has flown by, and I think that’s down to enjoying working with some great people, past and present, and feeling proud of what you’re part of. Before you know it, those years add up.
What do you think really motivates you in your role?
A good team makes all the difference. Warehouse work can be challenging and fast‑paced, so having people around you who pull together and support one another really helps. You learn to take the rough days in your stride and focus on getting the job done properly.
I enjoy working with a broad range of like-minded people both within the company and externally, who enjoy their jobs and want to see Robinsons continue to succeed and grow as one of the few remaining family breweries.
What does being part of a family brewery mean to you personally?
It means people matter. Robinsons still feels like a place where individuals are recognised and appreciated, whether that’s through long service milestones or just a simple thank you. That sense of being valued is something you don’t always find everywhere.
What would you say to someone just starting their career at Robinsons?
Give it your best, be open to learning, and don’t underestimate where a role can lead. If you work hard and enjoy what you do, opportunities naturally come along. Before you know it, you might be celebrating a big milestone yourself.
And what does life look like outside of work?
In my spare time, I enjoy watching football and at weekends I can often be found walking and visiting different gardens would you believe. I enjoy gardening and like visiting new places to find new plants for my own garden. And I wouldn't be a true Robinsons supporter if I didn't also enjoy a pint a Dizzy Blonde or Unicorn.
