# Shredded Wheat Factory, WGC march '14



## prettyvacant71 (Sep 19, 2014)

Hello there peoples! 


I hope all are well! It’s been sooo long since I’ve put any pics up...I’ve been a bit disillusioned by some of the UE community, I won’t go into “politics” on my first report for well over a year. I’ve still been out and about getting my camera dirty, but I’ve just “archived” my shots...I use that word loosely as it sounds like I have some organisational skills. My processing “skills” and I use that word loosely too, well, let’s say I can now move at least 3 sliders in Elements 8 so things are looking up. However, depending on which angle my laptop screen is at my pics keep changing in contrast so I’ve become a little too good at over-cooking occasionally, if you see any shots like that of course they are deliberate, I’m just trying to express myself


Big thanks to Constantine for the heads up on this place. These pics were taken during a solo trip and a visit with Mickelmas...that’s “1 coach 9 buses Mick”....good effort dude


Welwyn Garden City’s Shredded Wheat factory has joined Battersea PowerStation, The Cenotaph and The Royal Festival Hall on an influential list of the past century’s best buildings and will appear in the London Landmarks in The 20th Century, Society’s 100 Buildings 100 Years Book....this makes it even sadder that this unique and important example of Britain’s industrial heritage styled in Art Deco will be lost forever! 
Shredded Wheat was first produced in the USA in 1893 with Cereal Partners opening this first factory in the UK in 1926. With its tall bright white concrete silo’s forming part of a local landmark and the only ones of their type left in Britain... its therefore surprising that these unusual Grade II Listed structures are not being spared demolition. 


Tesco’s bought the 20 acre site a couple of years ago after its closure in 2008 with the intention of saving the building and redeveloping it into a shopping centre, with the wonderful silo’s being turned into a rooftop cafe...wow! that simply would have been a fantastic use for them, and Tesco could add this little gem to their credit along with the Hoover Building. Planning permission was granted and building’s future seemed secured. Whilst taking some external photographs a local guy explained to me that once the plans were made public some of the other local supermarkets appealed to the council and Tesco’s plans were scuppered. This left Tesco with a building that was simply useless to them. Now I’m not into conspiracy theories but I know it’s who you know that matters and talks were had, palms were greased and the building was soon deemed “too expensive for repair” and this affected it Listed status...hence permission for demolition shortly. I’m gutted as I’m a huge fan of our forever disappearing Industrial Heritage and Art Deco design...so it’s a double whammy.


So if you get the chance go and visit the building before the site becomes several hundred homes for our ever increasing population...there isn’t a hell of a lot to see inside but it once it’s gone there’s no cumin back
















Such a shame these great silo’s aren’t goin to be saved






View from the top






Inside the top of the silo’s































































































































































Belgium factory undergoing redevelopment into housing....windows are going to be cut into the concrete silo’s so they can be turned into flats....shame this couldn’t be done to save the Shreddies factory.

Well thanks for lookin, stay safe folks


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## GPSJim (Sep 19, 2014)

Some really great pictures and what a great place! Thanks for sharing


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## DirtyJigsaw (Sep 19, 2014)

Fantastic first report in well over a year!! Love the photos and the quote, "Dont let the profits go down the drain, check your flaps" made me laugh! Thanks for sharing


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## Romford Reject (Sep 19, 2014)

I like the fact that the clocks seem to be showing the HTC "Happy Time". (Dave Gorman fans will get this reference)


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## flyboys90 (Sep 19, 2014)

Cracking report and photos loved it all, and the factory made signs really gave me a laugh.Thanks for sharing and your right it should not be demolished that period of architecture is worthy of saving and there aint much left these days.


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## cunningplan (Sep 19, 2014)

Well that report has just made my day  great location, great report and great photos. Thanks for coming back


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## The Archivist (Sep 19, 2014)

These photos are fantastic, your use of light and space is an inspiration. Such a pity the building's going to waste though.


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