A religious organisation and a regional brewer are among those interested in taking over an historic Black Country brewery, it was revealed today.

It follows news yesterday that an American brewing company has this week visited the under-threat Highgate Brewery in Sandymount Road, Walsall, which shut in June.

Owners said today that the religious group’s plans for the site in Sandymount Road, Walsall, would be for a religious learning centre, but the brewery said it would prefer to sell to companies that trade as brewers.

Talks are also taking place between Empire Star, which owns the brewery, and a local consortium.

It is being led by a previously retired executive who is looking to establish the site as a Working Craft Micro Brewery and Museum.

Ian Robinson, spokesman for Empire Star, said: “There has been huge interest in the Sandymount Road site and also quite diverse including an inquiry from a religious organisation about a religious learning centre, dismantling companies and several house builders and developers.

“But Empire Star is still eager to either sell or let the site to companies that trade as brewers in respect of the huge heritage that bestows the Walsall site.”

Officials believed to be from California-based Stone Brewing Company flew over this week to view the 112-year-old site. The firm heard about the plight of the brewery, which shut in June, via a site set up on social networking site Facebook by campaigners desperate to save it.

The internet campaign group to save the brewery has soared to 1,764 members.

The Grade II-listed brewery shut in June when owners Highgate and Davenports went into liquidation.

Twenty-two workers lost their jobs when the brewery collapsed.

A brewery has been on the site since 1898.

When it collapsed two months ago, it was the second financial crisis to hit the firm in 10 months.

It went into administration last September with reported tax debts of more than £1 million. But despite their efforts, new owners Simon Toon and David Lindol failed to revive its fortunes.