The Pannetts Building

The Pannetts building has the external appearance of industrial, utilitarian Victorian architecture. Despite its clear historic association to the transportation of goods along the river Ouse and to the old train yard to the West, there were few available records either photographic or written that detail the history of the building available to us due to the closure of The Lewes Records Office.

Research of available maps and records provided evidence that the main building dates to the early 20th century.

It has a shuttered concrete frame and 7no. silos which are clearly early examples of this form of construction. Whether this was the original 1904 construction is unverified, but it is certainly and early example.

The building’s structure, and evidence of an undercroft from the 1910 suggest that there was access to the bottom of the silos from street level and a raised ground floor on the south side of the building.

In 1992 the building was converted to retail use, but the building still retained most of the original silos, pulley housing and external features.

Our refurbishment altered the building from retail use to a business premises that provides spaces for open plan working, client interaction and meeting spaces in an inclusive environment.

The internal alterations provide a more logical circulation route around the building with welfare spaces located centrally. The existing shuttered concrete surface finishes are retained to create a contemporary working environment.

Exterior alterations were minimal, and refurbishment of the existing windows enhances and restores the appearance of the elevations. At ground floor the active frontage with Railway Lane has been improved with metal frame glazing and visitor entrance doors replacing the previous metal roller shutters.

The refurbishment was completed in 2015

Graeme Mollins