--- title: Hydes Brewery PCI Compliance Case Study | Evolve description: How Evolve managed Hydes Brewery's external PCI DSS certification process, delivering 100% compliance across their estate with minimal internal resource. image: https://evolvebg.co.uk/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/brewery-building-scaled.webp --- # Navigating PCI compliance: Evolve manages external certification for Hydes Brewery Results 10  years Partnership delivering connectivity, SD-WAN and compliance support. 100 % External PCI DSS certification achieved first time. 40 + Pubs supported with PCI Level 1-certified SD-WAN infrastructure. ![hydes-logo](https://evolvebg.co.uk/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/vectors/logos/colored/hydes-logo.svg) **About** Award-winning independent family pub, retailer and brewer. Founded in 1863, operating across the Northwest of England and North Wales. **Industry** Hospitality & Brewing **Company Size** 50-200 ## Overview Hydes is an award-winning independent family pub, retailer and brewer. Founded in 1863, it has remained an independent brewery in the Northwest of England and North Wales ever since. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance protects cardholder data from theft, hacking and security threats. All merchants processing, transmitting or storing card data must maintain compliance, but certification requirements increase with transaction volumes. Hospitality operators moving from self-assessment to external audit face significant resource demands. Evolve managed Hydes' entire external PCI certification process, coordinating with third-party suppliers, supporting site visits and delivering audit-ready documentation. ## The Challenge As a Mako Platinum Partner, Evolve provides Hydes with [PCI Level 1-certified SD-WAN](https://evolvebg.co.uk/solutions/sd-wan) infrastructure that supports secure payment processing across their estate. Until recently, Hydes completed PCI self-assessment forms to maintain compliance, but increased payment card turnover triggered the need for external audit. External PCI certification requires: Third-party coordination Assessors require evidence that all suppliers in the payment chain-including POS providers, connectivity partners and network vendors-maintain appropriate certifications. Multi-site evidence gathering External assessors conduct site visits to verify physical security, network segmentation and access controls across the estate. Policy documentation Detailed evidence of information security policies, incident response procedures and change management processes must be audit-ready. Internal resource commitment Managing the assessment process requires significant time from technical and operational teams, diverting attention from core business activities. Without external support, Hydes faced weeks of internal resource allocation to coordinate suppliers, prepare documentation and support site visits. ## The Solution In early 2024, Evolve took ownership of Hydes' external PCI certification programme, managing the end-to-end assessment process on behalf of the business. ### Supplier coordination Evolve worked directly with Hydes' POS provider to verify certifications, confirm compliance scope and provide assessor-ready evidence packs. ### On-site assessment support Evolve engineers attended site visits with PCI assessors, demonstrating network segmentation, SD-WAN configuration and physical security controls. ### Documentation preparation Using customisable compliance templates developed through previous certifications, Evolve prepared policy documentation, network diagrams and evidence logs with minimal input from Hydes' internal teams. ### Assessor liaison Evolve acted as the primary technical contact for assessors, responding to queries, clarifying network design and providing additional evidence as required. The up-front preparation work created reusable documentation frameworks that will streamline future assessments and reduce ongoing compliance overhead. ## The Benefits ### 100% first-time certification Hydes achieved external PCI DSS certification without remediation cycles, delays or compliance gaps. ### Reduced internal resource demand Evolve's management of the assessment process freed Hydes' teams to focus on operations rather than compliance administration. ### Faster assessment cycle Pre-built templates, existing supplier relationships and deep PCI process knowledge compressed the assessment timeline significantly compared to self-managed certification. ### Cardholder data protection External certification provides evidence that payment systems meet industry security standards, reducing breach risk and protecting reputation. ### Future-ready compliance framework Documentation and processes established during the 2024 assessment create repeatable frameworks for subsequent audits. ### 24/7/365 operational continuity Evolve's [UK-based Network Operations Centre](https://evolvebg.co.uk/about/network-operations-center) provides round-the-clock support for hospitality operations that trade outside core hours, ensuring payment systems remain available when sites are serving customers. ## Client Testimonial > “Thanks to the expertise and dedicated support of Evolve, our journey towards PCI compliance was smooth and successful. Their team navigated the complexities of PCI standards with ease, providing tailored solutions that fit our specific needs. From meticulous assessments to the implementation of robust security measures, Evolve ensured that every aspect of our operations met the stringent PCI requirements. Their ongoing monitoring and support have been invaluable, keeping us informed and proactive in maintaining compliance. With their assistance, we've not only achieved PCI compliance but also strengthened our reputation as a secure and trustworthy pub chain. I highly recommend Evolve to any organisation seeking reliable guidance and support on their path to PCI compliance through SD-WAN.” > > Simon Mollitt > Finance Director at Hydes Brewery ## About Evolve Evolve delivers service-first managed network solutions for multi-site brands across [retail](https://evolvebg.co.uk/sectors/retail), [forecourts](https://evolvebg.co.uk/sectors/forecourts), [QSR](https://evolvebg.co.uk/sectors/qsr) and [hospitality](https://evolvebg.co.uk/sectors/hospitality). Our PCI Level 1-aligned [SD-WAN](https://evolvebg.co.uk/solutions/sd-wan), resilient [Business Connectivity](https://evolvebg.co.uk/solutions/business-connectivity), [Guest Wi-Fi](https://evolvebg.co.uk/solutions/guest-wifi) and [managed IT services](https://evolvebg.co.uk/solutions/it-services) are backed by a UK-based [24/7/365 Network Operations Centre](https://evolvebg.co.uk/about/network-operations-center). We specialise in blueprint-led rollouts that protect trading minutes, reduce compliance risk and scale predictably across complex estates. Our proactive monitoring model means 86% of support interactions are outbound-we detect and resolve issues before sites feel the impact. As Mako Networks' only [Platinum Partner](https://evolvebg.co.uk/about/partners), we are the only network management company in the world to qualify as a PCI-certified Level 1 service provider, making us uniquely positioned to support hospitality and retail businesses requiring external PCI DSS certification. For more information, [contact us](https://evolvebg.co.uk/contact). ## Read more stories (Related posts) ![eg-group-logo](https://evolvebg.co.uk/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/vectors/logos/colored/eg-group-logo.svg) Read More ### Powering EG Group's global network: Simplified management across 10 countries ![Powering EG Group's global network: Simplified management across 10 countries](https://evolvebg.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/eg-group-hq.webp?width=1200&height=675&name=eg-group-hq.webp) 6,000+ sites across 10 countries Read More ### Direct data centre integrations for secure multi-site connectivity ![Direct data centre integrations for secure multi-site connectivity](https://evolvebg.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/eiffel-tower-waves.webp?width=1200&height=675&name=eiffel-tower-waves.webp) 250+ Global payment hosts Read More ### Enhancing the museum experience: Guest Wi-Fi for 3 million annual visitors ![Enhancing the museum experience: Guest Wi-Fi for 3 million annual visitors](https://evolvebg.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/museum-of-liverpool.webp?width=1200&height=675&name=museum-of-liverpool.webp) 7 venues connected with guest Wi-Fi infrastructure. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk", "name" : "Home", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies", "name" : "Case Studies", "position" : 2 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance", "name" : "Hydes Brewery", "position" : 3 } ] } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Wigan", "addressRegion" : "United Kingdom", "postalCode" : "WN3 6PS" }, "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://146942687.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/146942687/website/branding/logo/evolve-bg-logo-white.svg" }, "name" : "Evolve", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "Article", "author" : [ { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Evolve", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/author/evolve-bg" } ], "dateModified" : "2025-12-10T10:48:38+0000", "datePublished" : "2025-12-04T23:50:58+0000", "description" : "How Evolve managed Hydes Brewery's external PCI DSS certification process, delivering 100% compliance across their estate with minimal internal resource.", "headline" : "Hydes Brewery PCI Compliance Case Study | Evolve", "image" : [ "https://146942687.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/146942687/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/brewery-building-scaled.webp" ], "inLanguage" : "en", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Evolve", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance/#organization", "@type" : "LocalBusiness", "name" : "Evolve", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Evolve", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/author/evolve-bg" }, "dateModified" : "2025-12-10T10:48:38.593Z", "datePublished" : "2025-12-04T23:50:58.000Z", "headline" : "Hydes Brewery PCI Compliance Case Study | Evolve", "image" : [ "https://evolvebg.co.uk/hubfs/website/graphics/OPGs/pages/blog/brewery-building-scaled.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/hydes-brewery-navigating-pci-compliance", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/hubfs/website/branding/logo/evolve-bg-logo-white.svg" }, "name" : "Evolve B G Limited" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "ItemList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "name" : "EG Group", "position" : 1, "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/restoring-convenience-to-eg-group" }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "name" : "Third-Party Data Centres", "position" : 2, "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/evolves-data-centre-integrations" }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "name" : "National Museums", "position" : 3, "url" : "https://evolvebg.co.uk/case-studies/national-museums-liverpool-wifi" } ], "itemListOrder" : "http://schema.org/ItemListOrderAscending", "name" : "Read more stories" } ```