When I took these images in May of 2013 it wasn't easy to actually see the building beneath this curtain of scaffolding and one of the largest billboards in Greater Manchester.  The building sits on the corner of Egerton Street and Trinity Way and it appears that work is underway to refurbish it.  What that might entail is rather difficult to determine.  The most recent reference I have seen was in an article in the Manchester Evening News dated October 5, 2011 which announced that, "A landmark building which has stood empty for two decades is set to become a 95-bedroom hotel. The Brown Brothers building which dates back to 1876, stands at the gateway to Manchester city centre in the heart of Salford’s Chapel Street regeneration area. ... Artisan, in conjunction with its partners, is proposing to turn the building off Trinity Way into a hotel with car parking for 32 cars.  A two-storey extension is planned to the existing three-storey building.  The existing six-storey tower on the building would be extended to seven."

However, it should be added that, in addition to the fact that the article is two years old and very little appears to have happened, this is only the latest in a line of proposals to develop this building.  Below is a list of proposals submitted to Salford Council for approval:

Wed 12 Jun 1996 Address Former Brown Bros.Building, East Ordsall Lane/ Irwell Street Salford 3 Proposal Change of use to retail furniture store (Class A1) with ancillary storage and offices together with external refurbishment Status Application Withdrawn

Wed 07 May 1997 Address Former Brown Bros.Building, Trinity Way/East Ordsall Lane/ Irwell Street Salford 3 Proposal Change of use from vacant warehouse to retail and ancillary uses including storage, coffee shop / restaurant and car parking. Status Application Permitted

Mon 14 Aug 2000 Address Former Brown Bros.Building, Trinity Way/East Ordsall Lane/ Irwell Street Salford 3 Proposal Conversion of former building to provide workspace, coffee bar, creche/nursery, study bedrooms, retail/gallery space together with associated car parking Status Application Permited

and then:

Mon 17 Sept 2012  Address Former Brown Brothers Building East Ordsall Lane Salford
The refurbishment of an existing building to create a 95 bedroom hotel with associated car-parking including the erection of a two storey extension on the existing flat roof site 

The building appears to have acquired its name from Brown Brothers Auto Components who once occupied the building and were, perhaps, its last occupants.  A review of old maps of the area show that in 1892 the building occupying this site was a brewery and it was still labelled as a brewery on the 1922 map.  However, on the 1951 map of Manchester & Salford it was designated as a jam factory.  I came across a chronology for the building on a website called ARTNET and it appears to be backed-up by information I found elsewhere.  "The building was originally built in 1878 as a brewery by Watson & Woodhead brewers. In 1927 the building became Mackie & Sons Fruit Preservers until 1955 (Note: in the Kelly's 1927 Directory of Manchester, Salford and Suburbs there is a listing for "Mackie & Sons, Ltd. fruit preservers, Irwell st. S".  In 1957 Brown Brothers auto parts moved in and stayed until 1986."

The Slater's Directory of Manchester & Salford listed Watson and Woodhead as the owners of the Irwell Street Brewery and before the road passing the door was called Trinity Way it was Irwell Street.  In 1911 the directory attributed the Irwell Brewery to Watson Woodhead & Wagstaffe.  Apparently, the Watson, Woodhead & Wagstaffe Brewery merged with Walker & Homfray Ltd in 1912.

Visit the "Manchester View" Homepage