An eagle-eyed neighbour who lives opposite Carrow Works in Norwich has captured new images and video of the building. Caroline Culot reports.

Eastern Daily Press: Robin Goodhart, who has been watching the work over at the former Colman's factory. Pic: suppliedRobin Goodhart, who has been watching the work over at the former Colman's factory. Pic: supplied (Image: Archant)

When the Colman’s factory closed, many people felt it was like the historic beating heart of the city had stopped.

And now, more than a year after the final jar of mustard rolled off the production line at Carrow Works, work can be seen going on again.

Sadly, the movement of cranes and lorries which can be seen is to do with the emptying and disassembling of the once massive hive of industrial activity.

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

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Captured by a neighbour who lives opposite Carrow Works, in a sixth floor apartment on the other side of the river, you can see the removal of large items taken from the building to be loaded onto awaiting trailers. It’s the final chapter for the factory, which officially closed earlier this year. Soon only memories and images from faded photographs will remain.

Only those privileged to have balconies looking out across at the factory like Robin Goodhart, who captured these images, can see the work in progress with the site closed off to the public and very little visible from its roadside frontage.

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

But for so many people, the building will always remain part of the heritage of Norwich and to see it painstakingly taken apart is a painful reminder of the city’s loss. And for the hundreds who lost their jobs when the factory closed, it’s also a reminder of the personal cost too.

Mr Goodhart, 42, an engineer, has a corner apartment in Patricia Hollis House, Geoffrey Watling Way. From his balcony view you can clearly see the factory now with some broken windows, which once would have looked in on the tour de force which drove the economy of Norwich. Mr Goodhart’s been watching as scaffolding was put up and cranes arrived removing items such as large power units, once part of the production line. “At night-time, the silo is all lit up and looks really cool,” he said. “It also looks great when the mists roll in along the river and on sunny days with little fluffy clouds.

“There’s a tower in the middle and brickwork that looks really old. They seem to be emptying parts of the warehouses, I thought I’d take photos because it’s part of Norwich’s history.”

The site, which was owned by Unilever, is earmarked for up to 4,000 homes as part of a 120 acre, £25m blueprint on how a city can recover from lockdown with Norwich City Council hoping to work with private firms.

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

This newspaper asked Norwich City Council leader Alan Waters for a comment.

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: New pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin GoodhartNew pictures of the dismantling of the former Colman's factory have been taken by Robin Goodhart, who lives in an apartment across the river. Pic: Robin Goodhart (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Inside the Colman's factory Pic: EDPInside the Colman's factory Pic: EDP (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Colman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDPColman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDP (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Colman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDPColman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDP (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Colman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDPColman's mustard. Interesting new pictures and footage of work on the disused factory show the next chapter beginning for the premises in Norwich. Pic: EDP (Image: Archant)

Eastern Daily Press: Inside the Colman's factory. Pic: EDPInside the Colman's factory. Pic: EDP (Image: Archant)