New Use for Abandoned Bank in Bacup
A restoration project has saved an abandoned Grade II listed former bank building and brought it back into use for the community, providing accommodation, a co-working space and a programme of community activities.
The ambition
A central building within Bacup that opened in 1876, the former Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank at 18-20 Market Street later served the local community as a funeral directors, Indian restaurant, charity shop and estate agents, before sitting empty for several years.
The concept for this restoration project was to bring the building back to life with support from regeneration initiatives including the Bacup High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ). Naming it The Alliance, the restored building would make a positive impact on the town centre in 3 areas:
- Co-working space: creating opportunities for freelancers, people working from home and those who were able to work more flexibly to use a central, high quality co-working space
- Accommodation: providing affordable high quality housing, including 2 apartments dedicated for young people at risk of homelessness, working in partnership with the M3 Project
- Community activity: a programme of activity and outreach helping local people and businesses to engage with the heritage of the site and build pride in the town centre
Who made it happen
- Valley Heritage, a building preservation trust established by volunteers in 2015 and managed for the community to preserve local heritage and educate people about it
- Rossendale Borough Council’s HSHAZ project team
The HSHAZ was a partnership scheme led by Rossendale Borough Council and supported by Historic England.
The case study details on this page were supplied by Rossendale Borough Council.
Funding sources
The project cost £712,702 supported by a group of funders, including:
- £350,000 loan from Architectural Heritage Fund to buy the building
- £200,400 from National Lottery Heritage Fund
- £100,908 from Historic England for restoration of the building's exterior
- £17,807 from Valley Heritage, the building owner
The project had an original 17-month timeframe to December 2022. It was extended to 24 months, to allow for the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit on project delivery.
The results
- Reuse of an abandoned building that forms an important part of the Bacup Town Centre conservation area which is currently listed on the Heritage at Risk Register
- Repair and reinstatement of a Grade II listed building’s historic features using traditional techniques and materials that are in keeping with the building
- Secured funding from numerous funders to transform a key building on the high street
- Community engagement, allowing local people and visitors to engage in Rossendale’s heritage through various engagement events in partnership with local community groups such as heritage walks and traditional building skills workshops
- Positive impact on the community from the building's new uses as a co-working space and housing. Having achieved those ambitions, the building now supports local people, businesses and community groups, and provides housing for young people at risk of homelessness
Lessons learnt
Work with organisations that have a similar vision
In this case study, Valley Heritage as a building preservation trust had many similar goals to the HSHAZ project. Both wanted to repair and restore historic buildings and also to engage local community in heritage.
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