Work is getting underway to build the new headquarters for one of the county's celebrated and fast-growing breweries.

Award-winning organic Stroud Brewery is expected to be in the new-build, just a stones throw from its current operation at Pheonix Works, Thrupp, in September.

The building was designed by the same county architects that came up with what for a while became known as the Sherlock Holmes house, the stunning second home of Renishaw founder Sir David McMurtry at Appledore.

The home was the lair of arch villain Charles Augustus Magnussen in the BBC television series with Benedict Cumberbatch.

"We will probably try and brew on the current site until the last day we can and brew a little bit of fat into the system then moving across and trying to get brewing as soon as possible in the new premises," said a spokesman for the brewery.

"It will become a destination venue when it is open, but it is business as usual in the mean time."

Planning permission was granted for Stroud Brewery's relatively more modest but no less ambitious new home in October last year with the firm first appealing for a site back in early 2017.

Speaking back in January 2017, when the brewery employed 15 staff, the managing director, Greg Pilley, said it was time to leave its Hope Mill Lane base as it looked towards future growth.

"We don't want to move far away as we have established a fantastic supportive local community and a focus for visitors from further afield," Mr Pilley told Stroud Life.

"The timeframe for moving to larger premises has been given increased impetus by our current landlord, whose business is also thriving and requires use of the building for their growing business, so we have been given notice and have just under a year to relocate."

It is understood Mr Pilley will also be launching a crowdfunding campaign next month in an effort to raise £250,000 towards future projects.

Design of the new brewery has been done by Nailsworth-based Austin Design Works and Clive Perch Architects of Winchcombe St, Cheltenham.