Horley Mushroom Farm, 2010-11

According to financial records, the Blue Prince Mushroom company was incorporated in 1914. At its peak, the company had several farms around the South East of England and supplied restaurants, caterers and all of the major supermarkets. The Horley Mushroom farm was established some time after the Second World War in the grounds of Bridges Wood House, a large dwelling near Burstow built at some time in the 1920s or 1930s. It was ideally located for Gatwick Airport, little over a mile away and as local and national infrastructure developed through the 1970s gained excellent links to London and the expanding motorway network.

Unfortunately however, improved infrastructure also brought competition from foreign growers, mostly in the Netherlands. The British Mushroom industry was sent into a slow decline and Blue Prince istelf went into liquidation in 2009. Horley, along with other sites at Worthing and Poling in Sussex and Horsell in Surrey was closed. The enormous growing sheds were stripped out and the complex is now being offered for sale with planning permission for conversion to secure storage units.


Entrance sign with oldschool Compuserve e-mail address


The farm buildings


Office building


Office


Various documents


Mushroom-based décor


More paperwork


Spawning Shed


Inside one half of the spawning shed. The other half was flooded.


Growing sheds


The growing sheds have all been stripped out








More growing sheds


Bridges Wood House was probably abandoned at the same time as the mushroom farm as the only access to it was through the compound.


Conservatory


Living Room


Slightly spongy landing


Collapsing wardrobe

Thanks for reading,

Arch.

I was down Reigate way yesterday, didn't know this was there might have to tip my mate off who lives there though!

This is a very interesting place thanks for sharing.