From the archive: The bells v the boutique hotel: the battle to save Britains oldest factory

Published: Jan. 31, 2024, 5 a.m.

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Whitechapel Bell Foundry dates back to 1570, and was the factory in which Big Ben and the Liberty Bell were made. But it shut in 2017, and a fight for its future has been raging ever since. By Hettie O\u2019Brien. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod