By Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The conservationist transforming two of Southport’s most historic buildings into a new climbing gym and cafe has called for the town to create a conservation institute for skilled craftsmen.
Duncan Craft, owner of Craft & Sons, is working to convert the former Albany Buildings on Lord Street.
Craft & Sons have recently bought the adjacent building to expand the offering.
A national shortage of craftsmen able to properly restore heritage buildings has meant that progress has been slower than initially envisaged, with the new facility on track to open next year.
Duncan Craft said: “Southport has enormous potential. But it urgently needs to address its shortage of craftsmen.
“That is a problem that the North of England as a whole suffers from.
“We have a small team restoring the Albany Buildings and converting it into a climbing gym and cafe. It means we are limited with how quickly we are able to work.
“Most of the craftsmen who we know are all busy working in the South of England, earning £500 and more per day.
“We just cannot justify that outlay for the project we are working on. Our costs have spiralled.
“There is a huge shortage of trained heritage craftspeople.
“I have spent lots of time in France. Over there, if you need a skilled craftsman, if you need a lime plasterer for example, you just call them up, they have an abundance of them. We need a pool of talent like that in the UK.
“It creates a big opportunity for Southport, which would be the perfect place to open a conservation institute where people can learn all the skills they need while working on some local heritage buildings.
“It needs to happen. The Lord Street Conservation Area has been on the English Heritage ‘At Risk’ Register for many years. That’s upsetting to see.
“It’s not going to come off that Register any time soon unless all these beautiful buildings in the Lord Street area can be restored to a good standard.
“The state of disrepair that many of these buildings have been allowed to fall into is disappointing.
“There is lots of damp everywhere, which is partially caused by too much plasterboard and gypsum being used; too many heritage features have covered up; and roofs are leaking, with water pouring down the walls.
“These are heritage assets which should have been looked after and maintained.
“The local council should empower her conservation officers to ensure that any building work is sympathetic to the integrity and fabric of the buildings.
“I have been speaking regularly with Dr Eric Lybeck, who is operating The Engine Room at Wayfarers Arcade on Lord Street.
“He is very keen on the idea of a conservation institute in Southport. I am really supportive of his ambitions.
“There are so many historic buildings in Southport which are in urgent need of repair.
“Restoration is painstaking work, but the opportunity is here in Southport.
“I have never seen a town with so many heritage buildings. It could be a real destination if all of these assets can be brought back up to standard.
“Southport is ideally placed to become home to a conservation institute.
“I have worked across the UK and beyond, and have never come across a town like this one. Southport is unique.
“Sefton Council is currently leading the £73 million development of the new Marine Lake Events Centre in Southport. Hopefully it will bring more and more people into Southport, and the town needs that.
“However, they shouldn’t put all their eggs into one basket. Southport also needs to encourage an investment in skilled jobs and creating promising futures for young people.
“Making Southport a centre for conservation training in the UK would create that.
“To do that we need to invest in training, and provide people with the correct skills.”
Mr Craft is determined to complete the work at the Albany Buildings to a level that Southport can be proud of.
He said: “This project will be completed. I am 100% sure of that.
“We have recently acquired the neighbouring property, because it was in a particularly poor condition and it was affecting our building.
“We have made significant progress, but there is a huge amount of work still to do.
“Adding the neighbouring building means we can improve our plans. We may reconfigure the plans for the cafe, and make it larger.
“We need to complete the restoration, which I estimate will take another six months, and then creating the new climbing gym and cafe should take a further four or five months. We will get there.
“We are very keen to get it done and we are very committed to this project.”
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