Microbrewery approved after sinkhole forced closure

The people learning at the "brewkery" are supported by trained volunteers

A new microbrewery expected to produce about 200 litres of beer a month has been approved after a sinkhole forced the business to close.

Equal Brewkery, a community interest company that offers training in brewing and baking for people with learning disabilities, aims to create a brewing school at a site near Whitlingham Country Park, just outside Norwich.

The enterprise had to close in May 2023 when a sinkhole appeared close to its former home in the Ipswich Road Community Hub.

It will operate from a storage container on land off Whitlingham Lane and supply wholesale beer to local shops and cafes, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

David Davies, a member of Equal Brewkery, said it intended to "teach skills and knowledge that may lead to employment but also to engage positively with people in our community who may be otherwise overlooked, ignored or marginalised".

The plans were approved by South Norfolk Council after it received no objections.

However, people expecting to try a pint straight from the source will be disappointed as the project has been told it cannot sell or consume any ale produced on site.

The enterprise started in 2017 and puts profits from its sales back into the organisation.