Historic Sunderland building to be restored

Plans to transform a historic Sunderland landmark have been green lit by the council.The grade II-listed Elephant Tea Rooms will undergo external repair and restoration working including new shop fronts, the repair of its terracotta features and the reinstatement of lost decoration.The works are scheduled to begin in Spring 2022. The building, which is located at the corner of High Street West and Fawcett Street, was constructed at the height of Victorian wealth and investment in the town.The company was originally built as a shop and warehouse for the grocer William Grimshaw and sons, to a design by Frank Caws, and opened in April 1875.The building has a distinctive Hindu Gothic style featuring intricate ornamental elephants, oriental birds and gargoyles overlooking the high street.The external renovation of the building, which is owned by Sunderland City Council, is being supported with funding of £500,000 from the City Council, Historic England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities through the Future High Street Fund and Heritage Action Zone projects.The new shopfront designs, created by Mosedale Gillatt Architects, will be on display at the Local History Library in the Elephant Tea Rooms on Thursday February 17, as part of the Sunderland HAZ Heritage Skills Programme which aims to provide opportunities for people to participate and learn about traditional craft building skills.