Editing Webster's Brewery (section)

== Fountain Head Brewery ==
[[File:Fountainhead.jpg|thumb|left|The Old Maltings, since converted into a school, nursery and community centre.]]
The brewery site was chosen for its [[Pennines|Pennine]] spring which provided the ready water supply necessary for brewing. The water was rich in [[magnesium sulphate]] which added bitterness to the [[beer]] and provided it with a dry finish.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j-Xu07p3cKwC&q=%22webster%27s+yorkshire+bitter%22&pg=PA244 |title=Nature's building blocks: an A–Z ...|isbn=9780198503408|access-date=7 May 2011|last1=Emsley|first1=John|year=2003}}</ref> In 1873 the brewery was extended and redeveloped.<ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk"/> In 1890 the brewery was linked to the [[Halifax High Level Railway]] network, which facilitated the brewery's distribution.<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.halifaxtown.co.uk/halifax_history_blog/post/1224/title/our_early_railways.htm Halifax History Blog > Halifax Town, Calderdale, West Yorkshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324082959/http://www.halifaxtown.co.uk/halifax_history_blog/post/1224/title/our_early_railways.htm |date=24 March 2012 }}.</ref> In 1900 the [[Château]]-influenced [[maltings]] building was built as part of a £10,000 (£1&nbsp;million in 2010) development project.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=WYAS1998&pos=175 |title=CalmView: Record |access-date=2011-09-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720231921/http://www.catalogue.wyjs.org.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=WYAS1998&pos=175 |archive-date=20 July 2012}}</ref> By 1958 the company's existing offices in Northgate, Halifax, were proving too small for the expanding company, and new offices were custom built on the Ovenden Wood site.<ref name="Samuel Webster p. 2">"Samuel Webster & Sons Ltd." ''Financial Times'' (London, England), 8 April 1957; p. 2; Edition 21,133.</ref> The landmark maltings building was closed in 1960 as its {{convert|12000|st|kg}} per annum capacity proved insufficient for the brewery's increasing needs, and the building was used for storage.<ref>''The Guardian'' (1959–2003) [London (UK)] 11 August 1960: 13.</ref>

In 1973, Watney Mann commissioned a new brewhouse.<ref name="nationalarchives.gov.uk"/> In 1979 a new £6&nbsp;million lager plant was started, initially brewing [[Holsten Brewery|Holsten]].<ref name=Nat/><ref>United Press International 4 July 1984, Wednesday, AM cycle.</ref> By the early 1980s the brewery had beer production volumes of around 400,000 barrels per annum and employed around 600 people.<ref>''The Guardian'' (London) 20 January 1983: 21.</ref> At this time, the brewery was described as "wonderfully traditional" by [[Roger Protz]] and had open fermentation vessels, [[mash tun]]s and [[copper]] brewing vessels.<ref>Protz, Roger (12 April 2007), [http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/On-the-trail-of-old-favourites2 "On the trail of old favourites"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426193259/http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/On-the-trail-of-old-favourites2 |date=26 April 2012 }}, ''The Morning Advertiser''.</ref> Production of [[Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser]] began in 1984.<ref>United Press International 4 July 1984.  "It might be good on snake bites".</ref> Having previously been used for storage, in 1986 the historic Long Can Hall was converted to function as the brewery's [[visitor's centre]].<ref>Halifax Courier 14 November 2006  £400,000 for place they could not give away.</ref>

A£10 million expansion project was embarked upon at the brewery in 1988.<ref name=autogenerated4>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/nostalgia/from-the-courier-archives-1-5539166 From the Courier Archives – Nostalgia – Halifax Courier<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001400/http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/nostalgia/from-the-courier-archives-1-5539166 |date=4 March 2016 }}.</ref> Construction of a new plant increased brewing capacity from 1 million to 1.3 million barrels a year.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> In 1989, the derelict former maltings building was converted into brewery offices in a £4 million project.<ref>A brief guide to the industrial heritage of West Yorkshire, Thompson, p. 15.</ref> Also, a new distribution depot was constructed in [[Elland]].<ref name=autogenerated4 />

In 1990, the Old Maltings was categorised as a [[Grade II]] [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1138779 |desc=The Old Maltings at Fountain Head Brewery|access-date=28 July 2019}}</ref> By 1990, most of the Fountain Head Brewery was dedicated to brewing Webster's and Wilsons ales.<ref>"Enter a new pub giant as Courage swallows GrandMet breweries". ''The Guardian'' (Manchester) 14 March 1990; Roger Cowe; p. 10.</ref> The brewery's bottling line was closed in 1991, resulting in the loss of 54 jobs.<ref name="The Guardian p. 9">"1,400 Courage jobs to go". ''The Guardian'' (Manchester) 8 August 1991; p. 9.</ref>

At the time of the brewery's closure in November 1996, it employed 184 people on a ten [[hectare]] site.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/scottish--newcastle-to-cut-1600-brewing-jobs-1324420.html |title=Scottish & Newcastle to cut 1,600 brewing jobs – Business, News – The Independent |author=Nigel Cope|work=[[The Independent]] |date=17 January 1996 |location=[[London, UK|London]] |issn=0951-9467 |oclc=185201487 |access-date=15 April 2011}}</ref> As well as Webster's and Wilson's beers, the brewery had been producing the lager brands [[Foster's Lager|Foster's]] and [[Molson]].<ref>Scottish & Newcastle to cut 1,600 brewing jobs, The Independent, 17 January 1996.</ref> The brewery had been running at "well below" 50 per cent of its 1.3 million barrel capacity which was deemed "unsustainable" according to Scottish & Newcastle management.<ref>Oram, Roderick. "S&N Sheds 1,600 Jobs in Courage Integration". ''Financial Times'' (London), 17 January 1996: 28. Retrieved 19 August 2011.</ref> Although productivity per employee had been the highest of any of Scottish & Newcastle's brewing plants it was claimed that it would have required substantial investment if it was to remain competitive.<ref>Cowe, Roger (17 January 1996). ''The Guardian'': 16.</ref><ref>MPs CHALLENGE BREWERY JOB CUTS, Press Association, 17 January 1996, Wednesday.</ref>

In 2004, [[Fountainhead Village]] was built on the former brewery site.<ref>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-leisure-and-features/luxury-brewery-homes-on-way-1-1958090 "Luxury brewery homes on way"], ''Halifax Evening Courier''.</ref> After a period of dormancy, the Old Maltings reopened as a children's [[day nursery]] in 2007, and a school and community centre was opened alongside the nursery in 2011.<ref>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/sports_centre_vision_on_old_brewery_site_1_1911852 "Sports centre vision on old brewery site"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120802203332/http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/sports_centre_vision_on_old_brewery_site_1_1911852 |date=2 August 2012 }}, ''Halifax Evening Courier''.</ref><ref>[http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/the_maltings_resource_centre_is_now_open_1_3879469 "The Maltings resource centre is now open"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120801200052/http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/the_maltings_resource_centre_is_now_open_1_3879469 |date=1 August 2012 }}, ''Halifax Evening Courier''.</ref> [[The Maltings College]], which opened at the site in 2013, closed in 2018.