After taking a fairly lengthy FT sabbatical I have only just found this thread. A great job by Genuis1 which does the lounge justice along with proactive ideas for improvement. I may be able to offer an insight at some point here as NCL is my home airport and am currently there once/twice per week.
As for the Fed brewery being demolished for student flats.......i too remember the smell that wafted over the city (which I always thought was like wheatabix) not least when the school windows were open as we were just the other side of the central motorway!