The owners of the Highgate Brewery in Walsall have said they are in touch with two potential brewers considering buying the historic site.

Empire Star, the company that owns the Sandymount Road site, said there had been interest from a number of other potential buyers – including a religious organisation and housebuilders – but that it would prefer to sell it to someone planning to use the site for making beer.

It has been unused for some months after the company brewing Highgate and Davenports beers there collapsed at the start of the summer owing money to the taxman.

Empire Star confirmed it was in talks with two potential buyers including an American brewing company, thought to be California-based Stone. The Americans have already visited the site.

Empire Star said the other interested party was a local consortium led by a previously retired executive with over 20 years’ experience with a local regional brewer who was looking to establish the Walsall site as a working craft brewery and museum.

Ian Robinson, a spokesperson for Empire Star, said “There has been some speculation regarding recent activity on the site, and we understand there is concern that equipment is being removed from the site, this is not the case, there are two other companies that trade from the address including the landlord, who employ several administrative and maintenance staff, all of whom are moving out at the end of September.

“There has been huge interest in the Sandymount Road site, including an enquiry from a religious organization about a religious learning centre, dismantling companies and several house builders and developers,

“But Empire Star are still eager to either sell or let the site to companies that trade as brewers in respect of the huge heritage that bestows the Walsall site.”