Demolition has begun on Bairds Maltings, the last working maltings in Grantham. Built in 1964 between Harlaxton Road and Springfield Road, the tower stood around 50 metres (over 150 feet) tall, making it one of the tallest buildings in the town.
The maltings operated for more than 60 years before closure. United Malt Group closed the Grantham works in early 2021 and moved production to Witham and Arbroath. GBM Demolition is now taking down the site on behalf of owners Edden Developments.
How the Maltings Operated
When it opened, the site housed a mechanised "Wanderhaufen" plant with separate vessels for steeping, germinating and kilning barley. At peak production, the Grantham works turned out around 30,000 tonnes of malt a year, mostly for traditional British brewers.
The building's height caused unexpected effects in the neighbourhood. When it first opened in the days of VHF television, people nearby experienced double vision on their TV screens caused by signals reflecting off the huge new structure.
Grantham's Malting Heritage
Grantham was once home to as many as 20 maltings working at the same time, including Lee & Grinling and Pidcocks. Bairds Maltings was the last to remain operational.
Moray Firth Maltings bought the site in 1989. The operation underwent major changes in 1995, and in 1999 Moray Firth merged with Hugh Baird & Sons to form Bairds Malt.
Recent History and Incidents
The tower also hosted charity abseils over the years. In 2018, the maltings experienced two fires within six months. The worst fire occurred in January 2018, bringing crews from across the county and causing significant damage to several floors, though no one was injured.
Future of the Site
Demolition work is currently underway, with low-level buildings being cleared first to make way for a high-reach machine to bring down the main structure. The land is earmarked for possible housing and business use.