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WE are at the High Street in Warminster, where we started our Then and Now series some 16 months ago.

This week we look at the Old Brewery and the various businesses that were based there.

The building dates back to 1885, when a Mr Bartlett built the three-storey building to start his new business.

Bartlett was, in 1880, a butler to Lord Heytesbury and in those days the nobility brewed their own beers, with Mr Bartlett acting as the family brewer.

His beer proved so popular that he decided too pen his own brewery building with six iron columns, each 18ft long.

Barlett's later merged with Morgans and Bladworth and the brewery continued to operate until a few years after the First World War.

Then its Trowbridge competitor Ushers purchased the business. From 1920-1929 the building was used by an Irish company for the manufacture of Casein.

It was then a furniture store.

During the Second World War a large number of troops, including Americans, were billeted there, leaving cartoon drawings on the walls.

In April 1956 Percy Carr transformed the old brewery into a car showroom repair and service station.

The ventilating tower used for malting was removed, as was one floor, to allow additional space for the showroom.

The entrance from behind The Close meant cars could be driven onto the upper floor for display.

In 1981 the building was converted into seven business units, which now include Wiltshire Carpets and Just Beauty.

10:42am Thursday 1st May 2008

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