A British brickmaker has closed its 139-year-old factory, attributing the decision to a collapse in house building across the country. Michelmersh Brick Holdings' Charnwood Plant, located in the Leicestershire market town of Shepshed, has been producing traditional handmade red bricks since the Victorian era. However, following a slump in demand and 'a lack of confidence' among consumers, the firm has announced the factory will shut down as it prepares to consolidate its manufacturing operations at its other factory in Romsey, Hampshire.
Job Losses and Site Sale
Michelmersh stated that the closure will result in 28 job losses, and the site may be put up for sale. This development comes as house building figures plummeted to a 12-year low last autumn, despite one of Labour's key manifesto pledges promising to deliver 1.5 million new homes by 2030. Additionally, builders across the country have started scaling back development plans due to rising costs following the war in Iran.
Impact on Construction Industry
The impact of the war is becoming increasingly apparent in the construction industry, with Michelmersh reporting a 10 per cent dip in demand for bricks in the first three months of 2026 compared to the previous year. To tackle surging costs, the construction industry is exploring the use of more timber if bricks and other traditional heavy materials become too expensive.
Tony Morris, chairman of Michelmersh, told the Daily Telegraph that the company had been targeting the 'appropriate balance between production volumes and customer demand expectations' and was 'constantly reviewing the cadence of our manufacturing operations'. He added: 'We are grateful for the service of the Charnwood team over many years, and they will leave Michelmersh with our sincere thanks for all their efforts on behalf of the group.'
End of an Era for Brick Building
The closure of the Charnwood Plant could mark the end of a remarkable legacy of brick building in the region. Early brickwork in Leicestershire dates back to the Tudor era, when the construction of redbrick buildings such as Bradgate House in 1542—the home of Lady Jane Grey—replaced local stone and timber historically used in construction. Thanks to the area's deep deposits of red Keuper Marl clay, Leicestershire became a brickmaking hub for the UK.
The Industrial Revolution transformed brick building, turning small localised kilns into massive commercial operations. In 1887, Charnwood Forest Brick was founded in Shepshed. During this period, bricks made in Charnwood were used to build local landmarks such as Loughborough Grammar School. Carrying on into the 20th and 21st centuries, Charnwood remained a centre for brick making. In 1999, Charnwood Forest Brick was bought by Michelmersh, where it produced roughly three million bricks a year.
