Mitchells Protest: Pictures

A group of local campaigners for more community-inspired development gathered outside Mitchells Brewery to protest at its planned demolition.

The Brewery, which is set for demolition next month unless it gets listed or other protection, is in a poor state of repair, like many other empty and disused buildings owned by the local hotel and pub company, such as the old Tramway public house on St. Leonardsgate. (Indeed, we're informed the City Council has already taken Mitchells to task over the condition of that particular building).

Campaigners argue the buildings could form the basis of a much more community-oriented development scheme that that proposed by Centros, and that the Brewery should not be torn down until the Inquiry into that controversial scheme has reported back.

Mitchells have appointed Todmorden-based firm N & R Contractors Ltd to carry out the demolition, with a planned start date of 23rd November. However, as we previously reported, the presence of bats in the buildings may delay the destruction (see news story).

N & R's previous contracts include several shopping developments, according to one of their web sites, although of course we should not read anything into that and the levelling of buildings on a piece of prime real estate in the city centre....