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Brewery back on track

THE HISTORIC old brewing house in Wickwar will soon start making beer again.

Construction work at the Old Brewery on Station Road is under way and the massive refurbishment is expected to be finished in July.

Although some objections to the expansion project were raised by neighbouring residents last year, Wickwar Brewing Company now has planning permission and is going full steam ahead to be ready by summer.

The building, which dates back to 1860, was first used by Arnold, Perrett and Co which had to amalgamate after brewing further up the village was brought to an abrupt halt by the introduction of the railway.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel laid his tracks right through Wickwar and as a result cut off water supplies to other breweries in the village.

Now a new beer, IKB, has been created to honour Brunel and remember the brewery's historical significance.

Managing director Ray Penny told the Gazette: "We are bringing brewing back to the building and rejuvenating the Old Brewery when so many others are closing.

"It will all be very much in keeping with what was here a long time ago."

Mr Penny also said the expansion had been needed for two years as the business has been running at capacity level for that long.

He warned that, if South Gloucestershire Council had refused to let the £100,000 plans go ahead, the company would have been forced to leave Wickwar for good.

He stated: "I have always wanted the business to stay here in Wickwar with the prestige of brewing beer somewhere which was built to do exactly that - and it is a fabulous building."

The Old Brewery was used for its intended purpose up until 1924 when it became a cider factory. When that closed 52 years later the building lay empty until Mr Penny started his company there in 1990. Brewing of his 13 beers has until now, only been possible on the opposite side of the road.

When the main building re-opens it will welcome members of the public who are curious to find out more about Wickwar's history.