Hardys & Hansons Brewery, Kimberley Nov 2015

[mookster]

This is one of those locations you look at and wonder 'why the hell doesn't it get explored more?'. I can't for the life of me work out why it has flown under the radar so much, it's a massive old brewery ripe for photographing.

The Kimberley Brewery was established and operated by the brewer Hardys & Hansons, and has a heritage dating from 1832. It was the oldest independent brewery in Nottinghamshire.

Samuel Robinson opened the first commercial brewery in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, England in a rented bake-house using water from the Alley Spring in what is now called Hardy Street.

Stephen Hanson meanwhile built Hansons Limited on Brewery Street in 1847, also using water from the Alley Spring.

William & Thomas Hardy were successful beer merchants from Heanor who bought Samuel Robinsons brewery in 1857. The current brewery is largely based on the buildings erected by them in 1861 when they moved out of the old bake-house.

Also in 1861, Stephen Hanson died and the business was carried on by his wife Mary and son Robert Hanson.

There was much friendly rivalry between the two brewing companies who proceeded to buy pubs throughout the area to supply with their own ales.

Both breweries began to run short of water. By agreement the water from the local Holly Well spring was shared between them. Having been attracted by the supply of excellent brewing water from the Holly Well, both breweries thrived independently until 1930, when under increasing pressure from larger brewing companies and lack of male successors to the Hardy's Brewery, the two companies combined.

In 2006, The Hardys & Hansons Kimberley Brewery and all of its public houses were sold in a multimillion-pound deal to Greene King brewery, who decided to end the brewing tradition in Kimberley in "a cost effective move" and will sell the Kimberley site, moving its distribution centre to Eastwood. Brewing of a limited range of the beer brands switched to the main Greene King site at Bury St Edmunds.

Currently the smaller parts of the site across the road are being turned into housing, but the main brewery and associated outbuildings are sitting there waiting for whatever fate will come their way. It has a really nice mix of architectural styles and decay, from the main brew house tower through to the maltings section full of beautiful woodwork, and the more modern yeast fermenting areas. Plus there is a nice carpet of pigeon poo over quite a lot of the floors and some very sketchy areas rotted through from water damage. Overall a very enjoyable explore and a total surprise as we turned up without knowing the site, whether it would be accessible, or even how much of it would still be there. Despite ruining my back and ripping my coat getting in and out, it was smooth as could be.

Thanks for looking, more here https://www.flickr.com/photos/mookie427/albums/72157660200086409 ​

 

[smiler]

It looks remarkably good nick Mook, I enjoyed your pics, Thanks

 

[HughieD]

Fantastic stuff Mookster. Was just thinking the other day that there isn't much of an Urbex scene in Nottingham, which is strange for a place of its size.

 

[Sam Haltin]

Good report and nicely photographed. Interesting building and as you mentioned the woodwork looks like it is in good condition.

 

[flyboys90]

Great selection of images.

 

[UrbanX]

I done it about 5 years ago and had just assumed it had gone / been converted! Great to see it's still there.
Awesome photography as usual, thanks for sharing

 

[mookster]

I done it about 5 years ago and had just assumed it had gone / been converted! Great to see it's still there.
Awesome photography as usual, thanks for sharing

I don't know how long it will take for this bit to go. At a guess they will be finishing up the parts on the other side of the road first, they looked about half built to me. While we were there and unknown to us while we were inside some scaffolders turned up and made themselves busy on the edge of the site taking down some scaffold on one of the buildings being converted across the road, we initially dismissed the clanging noises we were hearing while inside as just the wind

They are using the front yard for storage as well, lots of brick pallets and ready-made roof trusses around the place.

 

[Sshhhh...]

This looks rather nice, might have to have a look. Hoist flaps, oh matron, haha