24 Market Place, before and after

Eligibility

Owners or tenants of commercial buildings were able to attract grant assistance for:
• the conversion of empty buildings or upper floors into high quality offices and work space;
• major repairs to the structure and external fabric of buildings including external repairs and the reinstatement of roofs and roof features, chimneys, gutters, cupola's and balustrades;
• pointing or rendering external stonework, brickwork, walls, surfaces, decorative elements, external windows, doors, and traditional joinery, historic metalwork and railings;
• repair and or authentic reinstatement of traditional shop/ building frontages, shop front redecorating and new shop signs;
• and extra costs associated with the partnership scheme including professional fees.
 

Grants would not be provided for reinstatement not reflecting the character of the building including:
• use of modern cement mortars or artificial materials;
• repairs to modern windows or modern shop fronts;
• and internal shop repairs or alterations.

25 Market Place, before and after

Grants

Grants were considered on an individual basis, though for internal conversions to office space, 50% of the scheme up to a maximum grant of £100,000 could be offered. For external repairs, up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum grant of £10,000 and for shop front redecoration and signs up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum grant of £1000 could be awarded.

Supported projects

The Heritage Partnership Scheme (HPS) has three main elements and a number of schemes have been supported under it.

Creating commercial space in empty spaces above shops. This has happened in three locations;  
• The largest is the Assembly Rooms, a listed Victorian building.  The main hall had been used as storage for a shop but has now been sub-divided into quality office space by the creation of a mezzanine floor. 

Assembly Rooms, before and after

• A further variation was to assist the Bedale Hall Trust to create new commercial space by demolishing an ugly shed-like building next to the Hall and replace it with new dedicated premises.  This was challenging because of the Grade I status of Bedale Hall, but the involvement of English Heritage helped to address many of the issues that arose. The extension has been built and is let to SureStart.

• A property on the corner of the Market Place and Emgate, owned by a veterinary practice has been upgraded and converted to create further lettable space. It also revealed some potentially catastrophic structural problems that were addressed.

Heritage Repairs

A number of these have been achieved with English Heritage support, including:
1 Market Place – Linscott & Best
7 Market Place – Bedale 
29 Market Place – The Assembly Rooms
29 Market Place – The Plan Shop
Dales Furniture Hall

17 Market Place, before and after

Shop Front Improvements

With the ongoing support of English Heritage, projects completed and underway include, but are not limited to:
10 Market Place – Cockburns
12 Market Place – Headquarters
19 North End – Bedale Beauty
20 North End – Norchem Healthcare
24 Market Place – Sues Barber Shop
25 Market Place - House and Home
31 North End – Rowlands Pharmacy
Amen House & The Forge
 

Other projects have also been supported under the scheme including Beckside improvements along the West bank to prevent further erosion. The new softer improvements have been applauded by the Environment Agency. 

Beckside, before and after

There have also been improvements to some key pedestrian routes into the Market Place.  After a previous ginnel improvement made with Rural Target Fund, this project supported the improvements to another ginnel and the more significant Fleece Cottages lane which provides pedestrian access to the Market Place – an area of rough track that has been improved with a mixture of Yorkstone and quality paving.

Fleece Cottages ginnel, before and after

Elsewhere there have been Heritage information boards and public art installations reflecting Bedale’s Heritage on the side of the Assembly Rooms.

Funding

Yorkshire Forward      £617,500
English Heritage       £150,000 
Private Sector        £612,000 
Bedale Town Council   £13,700
North Yorkshire County Council   £6000
Hambleton District Council     £5000
Hambleton Community Safety Partnership   £5000
BEAM     £3000

For more information about please contact:

Mark Haynes
Delivery Manager
Hambleton District Council
Civic Centre
Stone Cross
Northallerton
DL6 2QP
01609 767056
mark.haynes@hambleton.gov.uk

Jacquie Boulton
Yorkshire Forward
Spitfire House
Aviator Court
Clifton Moor
York
YO30 4GY
01904 696711