The Archive Service is administered by the NBC.

Our commitment to you

You can expect an archive service which:

• is courteous, informative and responsive
• is accessible
• strives continuously to improve its services to the public
• aims to put things right if they go wrong
• is committed to training and developing its staff
• co-operates with other organisations to enhance service delivery

Your commitment to us

We ask you to:

• show courtesy and consideration to our staff and others at all times
• recognise that at the busiest times there may be a delay before we can help you
• tell us if things go wrong –
• help us to preserve the NBC’s archival heritage

Visits to the NBC Archive

If you visit the NBC’s Archive Service, you can expect:

• a friendly welcome, from clearly identifiable staff
• availability of original documents and microforms within the limits of the Archive Service’s security, conservation, and access policies

Postal and email enquiries

We aim to respond to e-mail / postal enquiries within 3 working days of receipt. If we are unable to assist you because we do not hold the records required for your research, we will always try to suggest an alternative line of enquiry for you to follow.

Telephone enquiries 

We aim to answer all telephone calls promptly and courteously. Our staff will always be happy to give you their name and will endeavour to help you to the best of their ability. If we are unable to assist you because we do not hold the relevant records, we will always try to refer you to an appropriate organisation.

Copying services

We can provide copies of items at a cost as identified in the Fees, Charges and payments section of this web site.

Research services

We are happy to research enquiries, again this is a charged service as identified in the Fees, Charges and payments section of this web site.

Acquiring and preserving archive collections

• We will actively seek to acquire and preserve archive collections relating to past and present life in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent within the terms of our Collections Policy and make them available for people to use.
• We will respond to all approaches relating to the deposit or donation of archive collections
• We aim to provide specialist archive storage to national standards as required
• We will conserve original archives to standards and within the terms of our Preservation and Conservation Policy
• We will catalogue collections to prescribed international cataloguing standards and will make such catalogues available online

Cataloguing standards

Our policy on cataloguing standards conforms with Spectrum Standards.

Our commitment to preserving the archives in our care

The archive collections in the care of the NBC are unique and irreplaceable. We have a responsibility to preserve the documents in our care and, in turn, we ask you too to be aware that archives form an irreplaceable and vulnerable part of our nations brewing industry heritage. Your co-operation in helping to ensure their survival is much appreciated.

Learning with archives

Archives – original historical documents – are of enormous value in bringing the past to life. They can be incorporated into the teaching of history and related disciplines at all levels.

For more information about the following opportunities please contact Vanessa Winstone, Collections Officer, National Brewery Centre, Horninglow Street, Burton Upon Trent DE14 1NG – [email protected]

• Volunteering opportunities;
• Work experience placements for students of 18 years of age or more;

Research services

We can provide information about the archives in our care. If the information you require cannot be found in our catalogues and indexes, we will need to search in the documents themselves, fees are charged for these services.

Car parking

The NBC has plenty of parking spaces with reserved spaces for orange/blue badge holders nearest the Archive.

Access to buildings

All public areas are accessible to wheelchair users. The Archive is on the first floor with staircase only access.

Toilets

The NBC has lavatories with facilities for people with disabilities.

Refreshment areas

The NBC has a café area on the ground floor at reception and bar and restaurant facilities onsite.