Popular inner west brewery faces demolition for new apartments
Young Henrys has been brewing beers from their rented Newtown warehouse since 2012, which is also home to their popular tasting bar.
The brewery, known for its Newtowner pale ale, is especially loved by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – it was where he and fiancée Jodie Haydon had their first date.
In May, Loucas Architects lodged a development application with Inner West Council to demolish the Wilford Street brewery and construct a new building of up to six storeys, housing 40 units and ground-level retail and commercial space.
The $20.9 million development would also include seven units reserved as affordable housing for 15 years.
While they wait for Inner West Council to decide on the application, the Young Henrys team is contemplating what the future will look like without their original brewery.
'It's going to feel akin to a family moving out of the house that their babies were born in,' Young Henrys co-founder Oscar McMahon said.
Planning documents submitted by Loucas Architects say the business could, in theory, move back into the site after the new building is constructed if they can fit out the ground floor as a brewery. The beer company is considering this option, as well as looking for other locations around Newtown.
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