IT has been nearly three years in the planning but one of Southampton’s most historic buildings will officially become a brewhouse later this month.

The Wool House in Town Quay opens to the public as a brewhouse and restaurant on February 27 – three years after it was closed as the city’s Maritime Museum.

As reported by the Daily Echo, the Dancing Man Brewery first lodged proposals to turn the Grade I listed building into a brew house in September 2013.

But a petition was launched by art lovers which called on council bosses to scrap the plans. It attracted more than 240 signatures from people hoping to see the building retained as a community arts centre.

An online poll at dailyecho.co.uk saw 77 per cent of readers preferring to see the building transformed into a brewery. And last April, Dancing Man Brewery’s proposals were finally given the green light by council planners.

The brewhouse will house a tourist information centre, a micro-brewery, a bar and seating area on the ground floor. The first floor will contain seating and a kitchen area.

Its owners said historical features will remain prominent, including graffiti written by French prisoners when it served as a jail in 1711.

Stewart Cross, managing director of the brewery, which also runs the nearby Platform Tavern in Town Quay, said: “We were hoping to open the year before last and my first business plan was drawn up in April 2012, so we didn’t realise how long it would take. It is looking amazing. It’s going to be more of a community space – not just a pub.

“We have lots of plans for it, we can even hold wedding functions here, too.

“There will be a range of beers on offer, and bottled beer from all over the world.”

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