More Bacup buildings given a facelift

What a difference 14 months has made to Bacup town centre.

A total of 13 shopfronts have had a facelift in the latest phase of the Township Heritage Initiative (THI) to transform the area.

Rossendale Council received £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2013 for the five-year project to regenerate the town centre by restoring and refurbishing shopfronts, bringing vacant floor space back into use and making improvements for pedestrians.

Work on the 13 shopfronts started in April 2017 and has been undertaken by Accrington-based Rosslee Construction.

Properties in St James Street have been rejuvenated with new, Victorian-style shopfronts. Others, including the REAL Building on St James Square, have had their original architectural features restored.

Research was carried out to recreate traditional designs and the stonework was cleaned and re-pointed using a traditional method by Pinnacle Stone Masonry from Haslingden. Signwriter Steve Broxton of Broxton Signs in Weir created hand-painted shop signs.

The first phase of the THI project was completed in 2016 and saw extensive renovations to the Pioneer building and the RSPCA shop.

Rossendale Council Leader Alyson Barnes said:

The town is facing a number of challenges and the THI is addressing some of those concerns which I know residents and traders have, but there is still a great deal left to do.

Not only has the work to the shopfronts improved the look of the place, it has given local people the chance to learn traditional restoration skills.

The next phase of the THI, which will start in July, will see changes to the road layout, pavements and crossings to make them safer for pedestrians.

THI Project Officer Mhorag Saxon, added:

This has been a great opportunity to work with the local business owners and building owners to bring about the transformation of the town centre.

We have also worked with a number of local companies to carry out the building repairs, stone cleaning and fabricating, and the installation of ornate gates and railings. The results are great.

Paul Hodgson, Commercial Manager of Rosslee Construction, said:

This has been a great project for Rosslee, utilising a vast array of conservation skills and in-house trades.

Working with great subcontractors and clients who understand that the importance of conservation has been crucial and Bacup is a great showcase for the work we can do.

About the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)

Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about – from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.