Melbourne Street Maltings

The Maltings were built in 1892 for Addison Potter and Son. It was built of "best quality brick" and had a datestone bearing the motto "Spero Bene Agere" (I hope to act well) on the corner of a small two-storey block which contained the offices. It had a classically detailed façade and pedimented doorway. The main block was an imposing seven-storey structure which, with its small windows and castellated parapet wall, had a keep-like appearance. This was emphasised by the octagonal towers visible above the surrounding buildings. The construction of this block was one reason for its demolition. The floors were of unreinforced concrete set between RSJs on cast iron columns and steel beams, and as such were not strong enough for modern warehousing needs. The roof construction was notable for its trusses - a fine example of the combination of pitch pine compression members and metal tie rods, spanning 14 metres. The building was taken over by Newcastle Breweries Ltd and was in use until the early 1970s.