Sleaford Bass Maltings

The Sleaford Bass Maltings are located in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. It is a grade II listed complex of buildings awaiting regeneration.

The maltings were built at the turn of the twentieth century, completed in 1907. Built around a central core consisting of the engine house and water tower, the eight malt houses extend out containing the steeps, kilns and granaries in identical six storey buildings. The site sits on 13.3 acres with a 1,000 ft long frontage and has 500,000 square feet of floor space. It had the capacity to produce 60,000 quarters of malt per season.

Bass bought the site in 1901 as it contained an artesian well and plans for the maltings were approved in December the same year. H. A. Couchman designed the whole complex, he was an Engineer and Architect working for Bass Ratcliff and Gretton Ltd. The engine and boiler houses were built first, then the malthouses followed. Company houses, mess rooms, cart sheds, stables and the weigh office were built soon after. Originally the malthouses were lit with gas lamps but these were replaced by electricity in 1946.

The maltings closed in 1959 due to a new process making the malthouses obsolete. After sitting empty for 10 years the maltings suffered its first fire, cause unknown.

GW Padley Ltd bought the maltings in 1973 and three malthouses were then used to rear chickens, the other five were used for vegetable processing and freezing. In 1974 it was listed as grade II by English Heritage. Sadly two years later three of the malthouses, the barley kiln and barley screen were seriously damaged by fire but thankfully the structure remained intact.

Plans were made to demolish the Maltings in 1982 but it was turned down in 1984. A new use had to be found for the maltings. The chicken farm was closed mid 1990's due to health concerns asa new housing estate was built close by.

The Maltings survived another fire in 1999.

Plans have been drawn up with the latest owners and the The Prince’s Regeneration Trust to develop the maltings. In January 2009, planning applications were submitted to provide a mixed development including 204 residential apartments, healthcare facilities, retail and restaurant space including care parking.