City's new brewery hopes to keep tradition alive

A new brewery has been described by its owners as having a "passionate commitment to keeping Wolverhampton's brewing spirit alive, proud, and thriving".

The opening of the Springbanks Brewery on Lincoln Street comes just a few months after the closure of the historic Banks's brewery in the city.

Springbanks head brewer Jonathan Dale said brewing in the city was "in danger of disappearing" following the closure of Banks's, which could mean "losing this vital craft".

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said it "warmly welcomed" the opening of the brewery.

It is based inside a listed building originally built in the 1870s for the safe and lock-maker Cyrus Price and later used by Beau Ideal Richard's Cycles.

The company said its aim was to put "Wolverhampton beer back where it belongs: Front and centre."

It has invited people living locally to share memorabilia or artefacts from Springfield and Banks's Breweries "to help preserve Wolverhampton's brewing story for generations to come".

Camra said it was especially pleased with the brewery's "commitment to rescuing and preserving heritage items from the old Springfield brewery and recently closed Banks's brewery".

It said the closure of the Banks's brewery had caused "immense damage to the city's heritage, identity and customer choice in local pubs" and hoped the new brewery could partly fill that void.

The Wolverhampton branch chairman, Mark Hewitt, said he was "pleased Wolverhampton will now have two independent breweries that can offer locally produced beers for the city's drinkers".

The new brewery said it planned to brew "a range of cask ales, craft beers, stouts and lagers", as well as zero-alcohol beers.

It said it should have first brews ready towards the end of March and they would be available at locations around the Midlands a short time afterwards.

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