Founded as a malting house in 1861 and closed down in 1998, the old Malt Factory was falling apart and facing demolition when a group of local people decided to save its iconic red buildings and turn them into a centre for all kinds of cultural and creative activities. The story of the Malt Factory's transformation from industrial heritage to modern cultural centre draws threads from the factory buildings' decaying facades, through the struggle of enthusiasts for a strong community, to an architecturally successful transformation.