 By the 1930s , the Boddington family shareholding had dwindled to around 40 per cent . On the 22 December 1940 , the brewery water tanks were hit by bombs during the Manchester Blitz , and the brewery had to be closed down for several months , with production moved temporarily to the nearby Hydes Brewery . The brewery was rebuilt with the most up @-@ to @-@ date and modern equipment of the time , and was the first in Europe to install stainless steel brewing vats . In 1961 , the brewer Whitbread took a 13 per cent stake in the company . In 1962 the company purchased Richard Clarke & Co of Reddish , Stockport , adding 60 public houses to the firm . 
