Restoration- Stone makes Gateshead Old Town Hall rock solid
One of Gateshead’s most prominent, Victorian buildings has recently undergone further preservation and maintenance work with the help of Darlington restoration experts, Stone Technical Services.
Earlier this year a £1.7million restoration and refurbishment project was completed, funded by Heritage Lottery, to restore Gateshead Old Town Hall to its former glory. Following on from this, Stone was appointed to install a gantry ladder system internally at roof level to allow for essential maintenance to the internal fabric of the building.
In addition, the £30,000 contract, funded by Gateshead Council, saw Stone fit a full lightning protection system with surge protection, which will preserve the heritage of the building and also protect those that use the building in areas susceptible to lightning strikes.
Gateshead Old Town Hall, a Grade 2 Listed Building sited in a conservation area, was built in 1870. It has now become a cultural hub for the area and is used for performances and arts projects.
As well as restoration and masonry refurbishment projects on historic buildings, Stone Technical Services specialises in all aspects of high level maintenance, lightning conductor installation and steeplejack services.
The company works all over the UK on a variety of high profile buildings, such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Selfridges in London, and for organisations such as English Heritage and the National Trust as well as for well known industrial clients such as INEOS Plant Utilities and Teesside Power Station.
Speaking about the project at Gateshead Old Town Hall, managing director of Stone, Dave Stone said: “The Old Town Hall is a magnificent example of Victorian architecture and, as well as being listed, lies in a conservation area. Therefore, any maintenance work is subject to strict controls and requires very high standards of workmanship. Thanks to our team’s skills and experience at similar buildings, we were able to carry out the necessary work efficiently and in a way to further enhance the recently completed refurbishment.”
