Progress is continuing at pace with significant repairs and transformation of the Guildhall, helping to safeguard one of York’s most historic buildings.
The Guildhall site is currently closed for restoration and redevelopment, with works expected to be completed by the end of the year. Last month, the Council announced that the University of York had signed a 15 year lease of the Guildhall, helping to bring this historic building back to the forefront of the city’s social, business and civic life.
An extensive scope of conservation and repair works to the stonework and riverfront of the building was produced by Burrell Foley Fischer. Throughout the restoration project, local materials, craftspeople, and sub-contractors have been used wherever possible to support local businesses and contribute to the local economic recovery.
An example of work by local sub-contractors, that has been recently been revealed as the scaffolding is removed from the exterior of the building, is the specialist repairs to the stonework and windows of the historic building fabric. This work was carried out by Pinnacle Conservation Ltd, whose in-house craftspeople undertake heritage restoration and conservation across the country, from their base in York.
Pinnacle secured the masonry conservation contract for the Guildhall after attending a City of York Council ‘meet the buyer event’ and have helped to shape the future of one of the most important buildings in their home city. Burrell Foley Fischer worked in partnership with Pinnacle to finalise the most appropriate and cost-effective repairs, to help preserve the building.
Adam Hickey, Managing Director at Pinnacle Conservation, added:
“We are delighted to have contributed to the wonderful conservation work at the York Guildhall. Being a local company, Pinnacle Conservation Ltd have been able to deploy expert craftspeople from the immediate area to carry out conservation repairs to fascinating parts of the Guildhall’s fabric from rebuilding the upper portion of the stone tower, refurbishing the windows, and repairing significant parts of the mosaic flooring.”
The works Pinnacle have carried out include; repairs to the heraldic griffins which occupy the four corners of the Guildhall’s roof tower, facing the River Ouse.
The extensive repair programme carefully isolated and removed the upper portion of the statues, and they were removed from site, by barge, to Pinnacle’s workshop for consolidation before being reinstated.
Some of the work to other areas of the stonework on the riverside was carried out by rope access – where scaffold access was not possible.
Faye Davies, Managing Director of Burrell Foley Fischer, said:
“It is always satisfying to use local craftspeople, materials and suppliers wherever possible on a project, both for the benefits it brings to the local economy, the resulting reduced carbon footprint and the pride people bring to working on buildings that are part of their everyday life.
It was therefore a delight to discover such highly skilled craftspeople based within a couple of miles of the Guildhall. Pinnacle’s workmanship has been of an exceptionally high standard that will help preserve the fabric of this significant complex of buildings for generations to come."
Councillor Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Finance and Performance at City of York Council, said:
“On a recent visit to the Guildhall I was lucky to see up close some of the high quality workmanship that has taken place to restore and preserve this historic building.
Through the Guildhall project, our ambition has always been to safeguard the future of one of York’s most historic buildings for everyone in the city. By working closely with partners, we have been able to preserve the historic character of the building, whilst also redeveloping the building for business, social and civic uses.
One of the key aspects of this project was to utilise the excellent local businesses and talent we have here in the city, and in doing so, support our local economy."