The man behind the reopening of a Sedgley brewery and restoration of the award-winning adjoining historic real ale pub has died at the age of 87.

Beacon Hotel owner John Hughes had worked there from the age of 11.

The brewery had closed in 1957 and John masterminded its reopening in 1987 as Sarah Hughes Brewery..

It has since gone on to win numerous awards for its Dark Ruby Mild, Sedgley Surprise and Snowflake beers. Ruby Mild is the reigning CAMRA West Midlands champion beer.

The hotel and brewery, which dates from 1848, had been owned by his family since 1921. It is a Grade II listed building..

John took over the Beacon in 1976 and began a long-term project to restore the building and then get the brewery back in action.

The Beacon has been a multiple winner of the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch of CAMRA's pub of the year award - most recently for 2024 and it was runner-up for 2025.

The brewery was renamed in honour of his grandmother Sarah Hughes. Her recipe for Dark Ruby Mild was found in a glasses case by John before beer production resumed.

The longstanding CAMRA member, who was born in Bilston Street, Sedgley in 1937, did National Service in the Army where he was in the Catering Corps. That led to his love of cooking. As well as the Beacon, his SL320 Mercedes-Benz was his pride and joy and he loved travelling to an from his apartment by the sea in Bournemouth for many years.

He was also a keen painter and loved creating cloud scenes.

His nephew Simon Massey said John had died in Brook Court, a nursing home in Kidderminster on June 1.

The ownership of the pub and brewery has passed to John's widow.

He married the former Judy Massey, his long time partner, in 2004.

She had helped him with ensuring that all the details of the pub were in the correct Victorian style.

"The pub was their life and they made decisions about it together," explained Simon, who lives in Kinver and remains director of the limited company for the brewery and pub.

"Our intention is to carry on the business as it is.

"The Beacon needs preserving for future generations. Whatever I can do to keep it the same, I will," pledged Simon.

Work on replacing the conservatory at the side of the pub had begun before John's death. He had helped with the planning and also with plans to replace old garages at the rear of the car park with a new cold store and barrel was for the brewery.

John's funeral is taking place at All Saints Parish Church in Sedgley on Monday, July 7, at 11am.

The funeral party will be leaving from the Beacon Hotel shortly before the service which will be followed by cremation at Gornal Wood.

A wake by invitation only is being held in the Beacon from12 noon and the pub will open to all customers at 2.30pm on that day.

Snowflake is one of the dozen beers in contention for CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain which is being judged at the Great British Beer Festival being held at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre from August 5 to 9.