Renovation starts on Keighley's North Street Arcade (From Keighley News)
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Renovation starts on Keighley's North Street Arcade
9:00am Friday 26th October 2012 in Keighley By David Knights
North Street Arcade, Keighley, which is to be returned to its former Victorian glory in a £725,000 renovation project
Renovation work began this week at the historic arcade on North Street in Keighley.
The frontage of the four-storey Arcade Chambers will be returned to its late Victorian glory. Shop fronts and a glazed canopy in the arcade will be restored, and the floors above will be converted into 13 flats.
The work, part of Keighley's Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Bradford Council and the property owner.
The project will see £725,000 – from Keighley's total £2.7m THI fund – being spent. The fund is designed to regenerate the North Street and Church Street area by restoring Victorian and Edwardian buildings and bringing them back into use.
The arcade is currently home to shops and a coffee bar but other units are vacant. The upper floors were used until a few years ago by Turner and Wall Solicitors.
Arcade Chambers was one of several buildings built around the turn of the last century when North Street was widened. It was designed in 1898 by Keighley architects John Judson and Moore.
The original sash windows will be restored, and repairs will be carried out to the walls and roof.
Due to the building's listed status, the conversion has been designed carefully by Bradford Architects Design Studio-North to ensure its historic significance is not compromised.
Sue Oakley, Bradford Council's Townscape Heritage Initiative officer, said: “This project is a great example of how an old building can be re-used in an innovative way to provide a contemporary solution without compromising its special character.”
