The Secretary of State has listed the malthouse of the old Brewery on Lancaster – a derelict complex threatened with demolition by owners, Mitchells, last year.
Although the designation is specific to this part of the brewery, campaigners against the Brewery’s destruction – who argue it should be restored, perhaps for community purposes – say the fact that the rest of the complex is fixed to the Malthouse means that any demolition will require listed building consent.
Experts Alan James and Tim Hamilton-Cox who helped the campaign are being creditted with playing a major part in saving the Brewery, along with many local people and a sustained campaign waged by SAVE Britain’s Heritage to get the building listed and eventually re-used.
“We also thank the technical expertise of English Heritage, specially the use of dendro dating, which made it possible for EH to recommend to the DCMS the listing of the old Brewery here in Lancaster,” say campaigners.
“This is a huge step forward and we must now campaign for a conservation led, smaller scale re development of the Canal Corridor North site.”