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Nine Corners, NG16 2ZG

A brewery was founded here in Kimberley in 1832 and was subsequently bought by the Hardy family in 1857. In 1930 the business merged with local rivals Hanson's to become Hardys and Hansons - a name that became familiar across the East Midlands, especially around the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border where the company owned many pubs. In 2006 it was sold to Suffolk brewer Greene King who declared at the time 'we have long admired (Hardys and Hansons) for its high quality estate, strong management team, dedicated staff and rich heritage'. This did not stop them closing the Kimberley brewery later the same year and moving production to Bury St Edmunds. Nottingham drinkers would say that the beer brewed by Greene King was never quite the same. The old brewery was simply abandoned with much of its equipment left in place, although the site was sold in 2010 to a development company. Redevelopment is now finally happening, converting the site to residential use and happily some of the old buildings will be incorporated into the plan.

This was once the A610, the main road from Nottingham to Heanor - a tedious drag for motorists passing through a series of towns of which Kimberley was one. The by-pass changed all that and this road is now unclassified. From 1913 electric trams used this route, running between Nottingham and Ripley, until the system was replaced by trolleybuses in 1933. The trolleybus service ceased in 1953 but frequent Trentbarton buses still follow the old route.

The town sign stands opposite the site of the former Hardys & Hansons Kimberley Brewery which ceased brewing in 2006. For many people in the East Midlands Kimberley will forever be associated with its products and a beer cask is one of the symbols on the sign. Below a notice tells us we are now in a 'place of public protection' which is not really reassuring. It refers to restrictions on the drinking of alcohol in public.

It's hard to forgive Greene King for acquiring and then closing Hardy & Hanson's Kimberley brewery, which brewed one of the finest ales in the country. Parts of the brewery, which is in the Kimberley Conservation Area, are being redeveloped as flats. The tower and the bridge over Hardy Street will be retained. Mick Garratt's Image] shows brewing still going on in 2006, the year of closure.

An austere row on Nine Corners, at the junction with Station Road (right).

Exactly a hundred years after it closed to passengers (but to goods in 1954) the old Midland Railway station house was being restored. Earlier images of Kimberley West: Image] (Tim Heaton, 2008) Image] (Nigel Thompson, (2016)

With part of the former Hardy and Hanson's brewery behind.

Parish church built in 1847

This is the site of the former Kimberley Brewery having been mostly cleared for housing. In the middle of the picture is the former Kimberley Midland Railway Station which has been converted into two cottages. In the background is a tower which was part of the Kimberley brewery.

Opened in 1882 on the Midland Railway's line from Basford to Ilkeston, this station closed to passengers in 1917 and completely in 1951. View north towards the forecourt. Access was barred at the time this image was taken due to the rather obvious dilapidated condition of the building.