Fourth-generation brewer's legacy continues to sparkle after Skegness Business Awards
A proud chapter in a famous Wainfleet family’s story has been acknowledged once again after Batemans Brewery’s managing director, Stuart Bateman, stepped forward to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achiever Award at the Skegness Business Awards.
The fourth generation brewer was honoured at a Christmas social, organised by the Skegness Area Business Chamber who also host the awards.
Stuart was celebrated not only for steering one of the country’s best-loved independent breweries into a new era, but also for his unwavering commitment to the community that surrounds it.
And in a touching nod to the generations before him, Stuart arrived with two treasured heirlooms: the trophies awarded to his father, George Bateman, who was recognised for Services to Skegness in 1998, and his grandfather, Harry Bateman CBE, whose own contribution was honoured back in 1959.
The sight of the three awards together, spanning more than six decades, underlined a remarkable family legacy woven deep into the lifeblood of the coast.
Stuart was nominated for the Skegness Business Awards by Chris Baron, who said the accolade could not be more deserved. Mr Baron said: “Stuart is a very worthy winner not only because of all his work in ensuring we have retained a nationally recognised independent brewery locally but just as importantly, his recognition of the importance of Batemans as an integral part of the local community.
"He has also created time to work behind the scenes to ensure the voice of the coast is heard and he is a great ambassador for the area nationally.”
It was a moment that clearly meant a great deal to the fourth-generation brewer, whose stewardship has kept the much-loved family brewery at the heart of Wainfleet’s identity while navigating the challenges facing independent brewers across the country.
The award also reflects Stuart’s strong support for local organisations, events, and charities — a tradition carried through generations of Batemans who believed passionately in giving something back to the community that helped them thrive.
After the social, which took place at the Northshore Hotel, the brewery took to social media saying it hoped the whole community would join in congratulating Stuart on his “outstanding achievement” — a fitting toast to a man whose dedication has not only preserved a cherished Lincolnshire institution, but ensured it remains firmly rooted in the landscape and spirit of the coast.