Holgate windmill produces first flour in 80 years

Bob Anderton, who has worked on the mill since its restoration, sits in the engine room at the top of Holgate Windmill with a bag of flour Bob Anderton, who has worked on the mill since its restoration, sits in the engine room at the top of Holgate Windmill with a bag of flour

THE restoration of an historic York windmill has reached a climax with the production of its first flour.

The Holgate Windmill, a Grade-II listed building and the city’s last remaining windmill, has undergone a ten-year restoration programme.

Now, with the sails finally turning, the mill has started producing its own wholemeal, stoneground flour.

Bob Anderton, former chairman of the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society, said it was the first time flour had been created there since about 1932 and its production was the culmination of the society’s long-held ambition.

He said bags of flour were currently being given away, but once the society was licensed for sales, it would be sold at the mill shop and also to wholefood shops and restaurants, and a supermarket was interested in selling it as well.

Income raised would go towards the cost of maintaining the mill.

He said the windmill had been in a ‘parlous’ state in 2000 when a group of residents got together and called a public meeting to see if there was sufficient support for restoring it.

Seventy people turned up and the society was formed in 2001 and set about fundraising.

Over the years, it received grants including lottery money and support from City of York Council, and the restoration cost a total of more than half a million pounds.

Comments(10)

sheps lad says...
11:15am Tue 2 Oct 12

Congratulations on a job well done!

TheTruthHurts says...
11:41am Tue 2 Oct 12

THE restoration of an historic York windmill has reached a climax with the production of its first flour.


Come on the only thing that climaxed when this happened was PP!

Mr Lowson says...
2:03pm Tue 2 Oct 12

I for one will buy some.

Frodo Baggins says...
6:22pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Mr Lowson wrote:
I for one will buy some.
So will I, if it's cheaper than the supermarkets.

oldgoat says...
8:25pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Frodo Baggins wrote:
Mr Lowson wrote:
I for one will buy some.
So will I, if it's cheaper than the supermarkets.
Stuff that! No supermarket flour is going to taste anything like this.
Support your local mill and enjoy some bread or cake with a really local ingredient!

Omega Point says...
10:39pm Tue 2 Oct 12

Not with the same flour though.

PinzaC55 says...
12:26pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Fantastic achievement, well done to all involved.

growthorgreed says...
8:22pm Wed 3 Oct 12

Very impressive. What you lot have done will inspire many. Well, not the dyed in the wool on line Press whingers, perhaps, but those who believe that it's better to do than to moan! I'm most grateful to you all for your forsight, enthusiasm and effort. Thank you.

Magicman! says...
12:17am Thu 4 Oct 12

I wonder if the 'interested supermarket' is Morrisons....

It makes a nice addition to the York skyline to have a proper windmill on a hill, and now even better to have one with the sails turning.

Even AndyD says...
7:46am Thu 4 Oct 12

Well done - I used to live near the windmill and it was basically a ruin. To see it today - well, a long journey but a very worth while one.

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