Simply CDM provided CDM Principal Designer and Client CDM Adviser services for the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London, located within Old Brewer’s Yard in Covent Garden. The 50,000-square-foot development opened in December 2025, re-establishing brewing on a site with over 300 years of heritage through the refurbishment and adaptation of a complex group of historic buildings.
The brewery occupies interlinked Georgian and Victorian structures that had evolved incrementally over several centuries. The existing buildings are defined by loadbearing masonry construction, retained industrial fabric and a dense urban setting. These factors presented significant constraints and informed the design, sequencing, and management of the works throughout the project.
The scope comprised a comprehensive refurbishment, restoration, and partial reconfiguration of the building stock to accommodate modern brewing, hospitality, retail, and visitor uses. Key works included localised structural strengthening to support new brewing plant, process equipment, and rooftop uses, alongside the installation of a fully operational microbrewery with associated vessels, pipework, CO₂ systems, and extensive mechanical and electrical infrastructure. All services were carefully integrated within an existing fabric not originally designed for modern loads or servicing requirements.
Sensitive restoration of historic façades, masonry, and internal industrial features was undertaken in parallel with contemporary architectural interventions. The creation of new public-facing spaces, including restaurants, bars, retail areas, and a rooftop terrace, required substantial upgrades to fire safety strategies, access provisions, and means of escape to achieve compliance with current standards.
Delivery of the works demanded close coordination between designers, contractors and statutory authorities to manage structural risk, protect retained fabric, and maintain safety within a constrained city-centre site.
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