This Italianate brewery – the first in Britain to produce lager – faces an uncertain future.
Grade II*-listed, 1864, architect unknown
The former Anglo-Bavarian Brewery was built in 1864, for Morrice, Cox & Clarke of London, and was initially called the Shepton Mallet Town Brewery. The scale of the building is significant, as the industrial production of beer would not have been permitted before the Beerhouse Act of 1830, which liberalised laws restricting brewing, distribution, and retail practices. An unusual example of its type, it was designed in a loose interpretation of the Italianate style and arranged across five floors, with the process flow clearly legible in the grain stores, malting floors, kilns, and bottle plants.
The building was sold in 1871, and renamed the Anglo-Bavarian Brewery shortly afterwards, changing the direction of the brand. Under the new ownership the brewery commissioned Bavarian brewers to develop a German-style beer, widely understood to be the first lager in Britain. The building has since been converted into a trading estate, and whilst a small portion of the ground floor is in use, the rest of the site lies vacant and in a terrible state of repair. A recent condition survey by Historic England identified a substantial conservation deficit, which means that the current owners, J H Haskins & Son Ltd, need to take action soon to ensure that it does not deteriorate past the point of repair.
Griff Rhys Jones, Victorian Society President, said: ‘With a conservation deficit, saving this striking building will be a challenge. I hope heritage loving small businesses will now seek out space at the brewery after seeing it highlighted. The 20th century saw many breweries close but recent years have seen a revival for locally brewed beers. We understand that cider is already processed in a small area of the site, perhaps more local brewers or a group of brewers could return to this landmark building?’
Status Update / March 2026
As of 2026, the building remains in a ‘poor’ condition, with its condition ‘declining’ according to the Historic England heritage at risk register. There has been no concerted effort to restore or even repair the building, and parts of the site are currently used as warehousing by neighbouring Brothers Cider and a self-storage company. Despite this, there remains a strong sentiment to restore the building locally, and the town bid has suggested a number of possible uses including an apartment building and a hotel.