A YEAR-long, £3.8m modernisation of Hall and Woodhouse’s Blandford brewery is almost finished.

Poole-based Greendale Construction’s work has involved the demolition and rebuilding of the main packaging hall, an extension to the tank farm and a new weather canopy added to the loading area.

The major works were completed in the middle of a “live operation” as more than 200 staff and tenants carried on running business as usual around the site despite the upheaval.

The project, which has taken 50 weeks, has had to overcome a number of logistical challenges to finish on schedule and within the budget.

Two giant cranes were used throughout construction to place 16 eight-tonne stainless steel vessels, and with just millimetres to spare, the accurate placement of the mass relied heavily on specialist planning, as well as outside elements including the weather.

Greendale Construction project manager Scott Sykes said: “The project at the brewery is essentially complete, although we are still here attending to variation works that have been added to the contract, namely an additional loading dock and ramp at the northern part of the site.

“The office and welfare areas were offered and accepted three weeks ago and the brewery staff have now occupied these areas and have full use of the facilities within.”

Blandford Brewery’s new premises and bottling plant are situated adjacent to the original buildings in Blandford St Mary, which have been a part of the town for 115 years.

Hall & Woodhouse is the largest employer in the town, and one of the leading private companies in the south-west of England, with 65 pubs under its management in Dorset alone.

Greendale Construction said it was proud of having successfully concluded its first contract with the “established and respected local company”

Contract director Andy Musselwhite said: “The contract at Hall and Woodhouse’s Blandford Brewery is now nearing its completion. The final remaining area is to the new packaging hall, which is almost ready to handover. This is a large open warehouse space which has been constructed in the centre of the existing brewery following the initial demolition of the old building.

“The new high specification resin floor is looking particularly colourful as it keeps apart the different works areas and traffic routes. We are also working on some additional areas of the brewery including new loading bays and doors, additional floor resin and drainage upgrades.”