Established in 1859; closed in response to Provincial prohibition, 1917

197 Ann Street, the “largest surviving brewery artifact from Victorian London-Middlesex” has been adaptively re-used for 103 years since it ceased to operate as a brewery, as a cigar factory, cheese factory, bicycle shop, and – at present – an automotive repair shop.

183 Ann Street, house next door to the brewery was built by brewer Joseph Hamilton in 1862 and rebuilt in yellow brick in 1893. These two buildings, along with 179 Ann Street (built before 1881, home to Joseph Hamilton 1887-1890) are a rare example of a brewery site with the brewery itself (197), a house built by the brewer (183), and a house in which the brewer lived (179), all still standing and in good condition.

Threat:

Proposed student apartment building on the site. Original proposal would have demolished all of the buildings on the site. Planning and Environment Committee, November 16, 2020 report that the applicant is developing a revised proposal which will “incorporate heritage elements”, which may signal tokenism, rather than retention.

Recommendations:

Buildings are flexible and can accommodate a variety of uses. Currently, the main brewery building is rented as apartments. The rear of the property is used for the Williams Downtown Automotive Service. Absent development, the current uses remain viable.

Ideal use for the brewery, given its history, might be a brew-pub. Alternatively, industrial heritage buildings have been popular sites for office type working spaces like Innovation Works, InfoTech and The Roundhouse.

October 15, 2020

Chair ACO London Region, Kelley McKeating wrote to PEC, “to express support for the recommendation of LACH and its Stewardship Subcommittee to designate 183 Ann Street and 197 Ann Street under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. . . . In addition to their individual and collective importance in recalling and highlighting London’s industrial past, these two properties sit within the expected study area for the North Talbot Heritage Conservation District. The Kent Brewery complex is an important component of this heritage neighbourhood 183 and 197 Ann Street should be preserved.”