Market Leads & Opportunities
Contractor appointed to restore historic Hull building
A contractor has been appointed to restore a former Hull cinema that suffered bomb damage during WWII.Hobson and Porter will undertake work at the National Picture Theatre on Beverley Road, the last remaining WW2 civilian ruin in the UK.Thanks to funding from Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the façade will be restored to its former period style, including its windows and signage.Structural elements, including the two large concrete beams, which saved the lives of the 150 people inside the theatre on the night it was bombed, will also be preserved.The building is set to become a flexible space for community events and education, and will also become a place of reflection for the 1,200 Hull civilians that died during WW2.Gillian Osgerby, programme director at Hull City Council, said: “It is great to reach this key milestone in restoring this iconic site and tell its remarkable story. It’s a reminder of how civilians on the home front were affected by the Blitz.”After London, Hull was the UK’s most bombed city during World War 2 and thanks to National Lottery players, we can now remember and recognise the sacrifice that was made.”The former National Picture Theatre was designed by architects’ practice Runton and Barry for the De-Luxe Theatre Company and was constructed in 1914.The building was badly damaged during a Luftwaffe air raid on 18 March 1941, although none of the 150 people inside the cinema at the time were killed or seriously injured.The former National Picture Theatre gained grade II-listed status in 2007 due to its significance as a rare surviving bomb-damaged building from the Blitz.
More Market Leads
- Plans submitted for conversion of historic Grimsby hall
16 May 24
Plans have been lodged to convert a grade II-listed hall in Grimsby to provide new training facilities and accommodation. - Bellway Salisbury development set for approval
16 May 24
Bellway Homes could soon secure approval for almost 90 homes in Salisbury. - Go-ahead set for more than 140 homes
16 May 24
Detailed plans for the construction of more than 140 homes as part of a wider development in Warwickshire look set to receive the go-ahead.