AFTER nearly nineteen years in Civic’s Canberra House, the Wig and Pen is looking to move buildings or possibly interstate.

Ground floor shop owners in the building were notified in March that their month-by-month tenancy contracts might not be renewed. The landowner, Prime Space, is considering redevelopment of the building into a new 12-storey residential or office building.

Ground floor tenants have a flexibility clause written into their contracts, which allows Prime Space to not extend tenant building leases in the event of a redevelopment.

Wig and Pen owner Lachlan McOmish is now hunting for a new location within Canberra. But if rents are lower outside the ACT, he told the Canberra Times that he would consider moving his microbrewery interstate.

‘‘Canberra without the Wig and Pen seems incomprehensible, so we’re certainly hoping we can get somewhere to relocate too, we’re looking earnestly,’’ Mr McOmish said.

Although an official redevelopment date for Canberra Building has not yet been announced, the award-winning brewery owner is still looking for an appropriate new location.

The venue, which was founded at Canberra House in 1994, specialises its own variety of ten different microbrews, shipping in wheat from interstate and overseas.

Last week, the brewery won the national award for “Champion Small Australian Brewery” at the 2012 Australian International Beer Awards. Over 1,300 brews from within and outside Australia competed for the awards, which were decided on by a panel of 52 international judges.

David Moses Pharmacy, Vision City, Harvest Café and Subway are also located on the ground floor of the Canberra Building. It is not yet clear whether different tenants will replace these outlets after the redevelopment has been completed.

Canberra House was completed in 1975, and was originally recognised as a city landmark. The building is a nest for several government agencies and law firms.