[2] In 1975 the former head brewery of Hull Brewery, Peter Austin retired to Hampshire to enjoy more time sailing[3] after a career at Hull dating back to 1945, preceded by a pupillage at Friary, Holroyd and Healy in Guildford, and a brief spell at Morrell's Brewing Company in Oxford.

[3][5] An invitation two years later by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame and journalist; Richard Boston to create a micro brewery in an ex-cattle byre at Penrhos Court, Penrhos, Herefordshire reignited Austin's interest in brewing.

[9] Peter Austin sold his shares in Ringwood to David Welsh in 1990, becoming a brewing consultant.

Licensing was pursued in an effort to export their products to America, and was felt a more secure approach after two failed attempts in the mid and late 1980s.

[10] Ringwood branched out from brewing in 1997 with the purchase of the Château de Fayolle and its vineyard near Saussignac in the Dordogne region of France.

[5] Marston's stated that they would keep the brewery in operation and continue producing the full range of Ringwood beers.

[20] Controversy arose soon after however when The Salisbury Journal reported on 6 December 2023 that a potential purchaser condemned CMBC's decision to close the site.

[1] A follow up article in the Morning Advertiser quoted local businessman, Anthony Swift, as saying that CMBC had not engaged or even responded to an indicative offer he had put forward together with a consortium during the sale process.

Marston's sold their stake in CMBC for £206 million in July 2024, in order to reduce debts and to allow it to concentrate on running its pub estate across the country.

The sale gave Carlsberg full control of CMBC and ended Marston's 150 year heritage in brewing.