Wadworth Brewery, Devizes - ongoing discussion and updates

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - end of a freight traffic

A brewery that has used shire horses to deliver to pubs since the 1800s has decided to stop the service, with the horses - Sam and George - going to a new home in Wales.

Wadworth, in Devizes, Wiltshire, was originally planning new stables, but has said this was "no longer viable due to the escalation in build costs and complexities of the site".

The company has recently moved production away from their heritage site in the centre of the town which has made local deliveries more difficult.

It has been decision Wadworth described as a "great sadness".

[Chris from Nailsea]

That is indeed a 'great sadness' - those horse-drawn deliveries were brilliant (as is their beer!). 

[johnneyw]

I recall visiting the old Wadsworth Brewery in Devizes on a 6th form 'A' Level economics 'educational' trip.  We had a brilliant economics teacher who was also head of the 6th form.  The brewery were quite generous with their free sampling in the tap room at the end of the tour I recall.  Made the coach journey back to Bristol quite jolly.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Going rather off-topic again here (I can, because I'm an administrator! ), I'm reminded of a joke from that great comedian from Cornwall, Jethro (real name, Geoffrey Rowe) with a broad West Country accent:

"Why do they grow so many potatoes in Wiltshire?  Because there they have Devizes for Chippenham!" 

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Demolition under way at Victorian Wadworth Brewery site in Devizes


The listed section of the site will remain standing but the old industrial buildings have been demolished

A large, historic brewery site remembered for its shire horses and the smell of hops has been mostly demolished.

Wadworth in Devizes has moved production to the edge of the Wiltshire town, selling off a large chunk to developer Backhouse.

The iconic red brick Victorian building is listed and will stay standing, with plans yet to be confirmed on its future use. The rest of the site was mostly industrial buildings, now pulled down for Backhouse to build housing on the site.

Gordon Snook worked at the brewery for almost 20 years, starting in the bottling hall and eventually becoming head horseman. He said it was "one of the best jobs I've ever had".

"It's quite sad. Part of my life is still entrapped in there I think. Lots of memories."

Mr Snook remembers the famous horses fondly. The brewery had used them to deliver to pubs since the 1800s, but decided to retire them for good earlier this year. Mr Snook remembered also taking them out for weddings, funerals and even as far as the houses of Parliament. "Everyone used to say how nice they looked. I don't know they appreciated how much work goes on behind the scenes before you got out on the road," he said, adding it was "jolly hard work".

"It is sad to see it go," said Helen Cross, who grew up in the area. She is pleased, however, the iconic Victorian building will still be there. Ms Cross remembers the smell of the brewery and the horses and the carts passing by with the barrels on. "A good memory from when I was younger."

Matt Bishop, head of construction at Backhouse, explained the scheme would create more than 100 new homes, including 60 apartments. "We commenced demolition back in early September. The demolition process is well underway. The site is looking quite flat," he said.

Next, the developers will start testing the ground and working out what needs to be done to make it safe for house building. The developer wants to start construction in spring next year, with the first people moving into homes in 2027, and the project finished by 2029.