RESTORATION - in Accy?

Acrylic-bob · 09-05-2004, 06:17

Last night on BBC2 there was an hour long trailer/update programme for the brilliant 'Restoration' programme shown last summer. Apparently it is running again this summer with another twenty odd decaying buildings competing for cash.

Considering that most of us decry the demolition of much loved parts of the borough, It occured that it might be interesting to see if there are any buildings in Accy that would benefit from a campaign that we could sponsor.

It's all very well saying that ''They should never have knocked it down. They should have found another use for it''. But 'They', as was seen in the programmes last summer is, in most cases, us. The Council, have neither the will nor the imagination to do anything meaningful about the loss of our heritage, unless they are stung and shamed into action by public opinion.

It will be interesting to hear what other board members think.

Stanley4Life · 09-05-2004, 10:28

old cinama ......

Acrylic-bob · 09-05-2004, 14:02

Which one????

Stanley4Life · 09-05-2004, 16:51

empire near new cinama (the new 1 is in debt)! (my m8 works there)

Acrylic-bob · 09-05-2004, 18:07

Nice idea, but I think that you will find that the interoir was entirely ripped out when it was converted to flats, and from what I remember of it from when it was still a cinema there wasn't really anything of note or of value in it. The exterior, what little of it there is, is certainly a fine example of late Victorian/Edwardian architecture. The music hall which was adjacent to it was certainly of more interest. Churchill addressed the people of Accrington there. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in the late seventies.

Atarah · 09-05-2004, 22:33

Hi Bob, watched the programme. Loved it! Have sent off for the pack. At least someone has had the sense to save the old Karrimor building on Eastgate/Water Street/Avenue Parade, which is a surprise!
We have lots of lovely old buildings in town which although they may not look to be decaying, probably are. Just think of all the empty, unused rooms along Blackburn Road, especially on the side where the Yorkshire bank is on the corner. I am sure they could be altered and made into flats.

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 12:44

The problem is that of the buildings that we have in Accy/Ossy/Church etc do not appear to fall into the category that the BBC appears to require....these are 1) The building should have sufficient architectural/historical merit, 2) the building should be going some way into delapidation 3) that the building can be restored 4) that the funding to do so is otherwise proving difficult to obtain.

I can really only think of two buildings - adjoining - that currently fall within this criiteria, and those are the old canal warehouse at Church and the Commercial Hotel next door. The former is probably the best example of Georgian canal architecture on the longest canal in England, at roughly it's significant half way point, while one of the reasons (I understand) for the building of the hotel was for watering & accomodation for passengers travelling by barge packet boats in the period between the opening of the canal and the opening of the railway.

Of course, there have been other buildings which would otherwise have met the requirements (above)...but as we all know, they've been pulled down (make your own list up).

AccyStanFan · 10-05-2004, 13:09

palladium

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 13:24

Buildings like the Palladium are just too numerous..there's a similar building in Church (the one, like the Palladium, that became a Bingo hall and then a Snooker Hall).....the problem is they date from the 1920's/30's, they've been mucked around inside, they are mostly of little architectural merit and to restore them to their original function would be uneconomic.

The building should be as far as possible, unique in original function and design...thats the only way it will stand any chance of making the short list, never mind the buildings that appear on the TV show itself....and remember, last year there was an Accrington connection with Bullough's castle in Scotland.

AccyStanFan · 10-05-2004, 13:44

what was the connection, someone from accys brother in-laws futre wifes cousin visited it once?

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 13:59

Could you possibly elucidate, AFC?

OK HERE'S THE CONNECTION

http://www.kcfa.org.uk/castle.html

AccyStanFan · 10-05-2004, 14:33

ahhh bullough park....

Tealeaf · 10-05-2004, 14:42

Howard & Bulloughs.....before your time!

Acrylic-bob · 10-05-2004, 16:44

Hi Tealeaf,

I agree with much of what you have said. However I did not really consider entering anything in Accrington into any sort of national competition for the simple reason that as you have said there is very little of National architectural or cultural importance in Accrington that is need of rescue that hasn't already lost the negotiation with the demolition crew. I was thinking more along the lines of something that is of local importance that we could campaign for locally. From what you have said and from what I have seen the canal warehouse and the 'Church Commercial' are prime candidates. I remember you saying something in another thread about the council not wanting to do anything about them because the owner is not known. I thought that was what Compulsory Purchase Orders were for. What use could the two be put to though?

Tealeaf · 11-05-2004, 07:32

You're right Bob.....on another posting I mentioned that the owner of the Warehouse was some ex-pat colonel living out in Hong Kong or somewhere similar & no one has been able to contact him.....I think the hotel should be far easier to deal with.
If the location was just somewhere else, then the buildings would make a super residential development - unfortunatly, air pollution locally rules out that oppoutunity.
It may well be that with the large residential development on the old Lodge sight then the Council will come to their senses and do something about this shocking eyesore which blights the main road at Church.