Report - A Bond Warehouse, Bristol - Jan 2015

[WhoDaresWins]

Visited with Seffy.

What turned out to simply be a quick mooch soon turned into us stepping inside the only lit floor of this rather iconic building. We have been meaning to have a proper look at this for a while but apart from Seffy climbing the fire exit steps nothing happened until now. We didn't even have our cameras on us and after stepping further inside tripping countless possible silent alarms we decided to only go back if we could get to the roof. But it seems the only way up there is though a rather high up padlocked roof hatch. We then went in search of a basement but this was soon met but screeching alarms, so be retreated.

A shame I only had my phone to take photos but I still enjoyed it in there. Very much live. Huge heavy doors everywhere, reminds me of an old mill, but much cleaner.

History:

A Bond Warehouse is one of 3 bonded warehouse built in Bristol during the early 20th century. A was the first, being built between 1903 and 1906. It was designed by the Docks Committee engineer, and built by William Cowlin and Sons. All three are made from reinforced concrete, with the ground floor in black brick with a low plinth and patent red bricks, blue engineering bricks, Pennant stone steps, terracotta details and a Welsh slate roof. It is nine storeys high and was the first major building in Britain to use Edmond Coignet's reinforced concrete system

Bonded warehouses were built securely because they stored imported goods “in bond”, without import duty having been paid, as though the goods had not yet entered the country. The three warehouses were mainly used to store tobacco. The tobacco could be cleaned, sorted, repacked and exported without payment of duty; or it could be prepared for sale in this country and once import duty was paid, the tobacco was released from bond and allowed to leave the warehouse for sale within the U.K.

C bond warehouse is currently used by a self storage company and B is partly used as council offices, Bristol Record Office and the local Create centre (organisation for sustainable development). A bond warehouse is currently used, as it appears, as storage for Bristol city council. There have been plans however to close several offices around the city and relocate them here in one location. This plan doesn't seem to of got any where though.

C warehouse:

View from the top of the fire escape:

Inside:

The lights from C warehouse through the window:

Thanks for looking!
​

 

[Ojay]

♥ old factorys

 

[raisinwing]

These kind of buildings are awesome, cheers for sharing!

 

[The_Raw]

I had a nosey around that C warehouse when I was in town a couple of years ago, think I was on my way to Upfest. Pics came out pretty good for phone pics, it's good to see a glimpse of the inside

 

[Lenston]

Looks a good place that mate

 

[clebby]

Excellent

 

[Seffy]

Again, spontaneous evenings always come up trumps!

Here's to cracking a crap load more of this awesome city this year

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Again, spontaneous evenings always come up trumps!

Here's to cracking a crap load more of this awesome city this year

I hear that