Wine and Beer Vaults

The WBV connect with the Eastern Horse Tunnel on the west side, close to the foot of the horse stairs that lead up to the community housing entrance into 30 Oval Road.

The photo shows the vaults in 1987, with the wooden sleepers used for barrel runs still evident, even though Gilbeys had left in 1964. The main vaults are about 2.92 metres high (measured from a sectional elevation drawing). The side vaults are only about 1.80 metres high at the crown of the arch (second photo), but the arches are almost as flat as Brunel’s famous Maidenhead Bridge. Redevelopment would require the floor to be lowered. The brick foundations are stepped and 600 mm deep to a concrete base. The brick foundations would be exposed, thereby reducing the effective openings from 3.5 metres to 3.0 metres, but raising the height of the arch to 2.4 metres.

Labs Group is the most likely party to be interested in developing the WBV as they have already submitted plans for the Interchange basement warehouse as part of the redevelopment of Camden Lock Market. The warehouse would temporarily accommodate traders while other areas were being redeveloped. Once the works were complete, the intention is to develop the basement warehouse in conjunction with a café that would span across the Interchange Basin.