Plans to bring a 112-year-old Black Country brewery back up to scratch following its reopening could be given a helping hand by Walsall Council, the authority’s regeneration chief has revealed today.

New bosses took over Walsall’s Highgate Brewery in October after it closed in June this year, with the loss of 22 jobs.

Businessman John Taylor and former Highgate head brewer Paran Sandhu have brought the historic brewery on Sandymount Road back to life under a five-year lease.

The bosses said they were looking at ways to fund new equipment, such as a boiler for the brewery, and to transform the current hospitality suite into a mini-museum to chart Highgate’s history.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, and St Matthews councillor Mohammed Arif met with bosses recently to discuss future plans.

Councillor Andrew said: “We intend to work closely with them and the Friends of Highgate Brewery in order to make the brewery a successful business and remain a credit to Walsall.

“We are looking at avenues of possible funding that could be used and invested in the brewery to improve and support the business.”

Twelve new jobs were created when it reopened and 11 of those employed are former Highgate workers.

The brewery produces Highgate and Davenports ales.