Generations of tradition were kept alive by Shipstone Brewery in Nottingham where, in 1961, heavy horses were still being used to pull drays.

The Shipstone Brewery at New Basford in Nottingham was both a architectural landmark and major employer for generations. Its dray horses delivered barrels to nearby pubs and, as in many cities, the brewery kept up the use of horses long after other local industries started to use motorised vehicles. The brewery's decline and eventual closure in 1991 came during an era when brewers could see greater profits from continental-style lagers.

Shipstone's history goes back to 1852 when James Shipstone began brewing at New Basford in Nottingham. The firm's decline began when they were taken over by Greenhall's in 1978. Despite becoming the shirt sponsor for Nottingham Forest Greenhall decided to end beer production in Nottingham, moving the famous name to Burton upon Trent for a short period before the brand was abandoned. In 2013 the beer returned with small scale production from a brewery in the Vale of Belvoir.