WORK has now started to create two restaurants in a historic row of buildings at the heart of a £3.8million town centre heritage refurbishment.
The builders are now on site transforming Blakey Moor Terrace opposite Blackburn's King George’s Hall.
Dating back to the 1800s, the building had in recent years lain largely empty and slowly falling into serious disrepair.
The work will create two units for restaurants or cafe/bars with outdoor seating areas in a rear courtyard.
Specially-designed character frontages will look out over the new public space opposite King George’s Hall.
The revamp of the terrace forms a key part of the next stage of the £3.8m Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage project, part-financed by the National Lottery, to transform the mainly-Victorian Northgate side of the town centre into a leisure quarter of cafes, coffee houses and bars.
This has already seen the refurbishment of the former Baroque pub and creation of a new public space as well as the renovation of several other historic buildings.
Blackburn-based Forrest Joinery and Construction Contracts Ltd are leading the renovations designed by award-winning architects Group Ginger.
It will see the building split into two – designed as locations for new eateries with one boasting an impressive mezzanine floor.
New occupiers will soon be announced for the former Baroque bar.
Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s regeneration boss, said: “We’re all really excited to see this building brought back to its best.
“You only have to stand at King George’s Hall and look down towards the new Reel cinema and the Barbara Castle statue and already the area is looking really impressive.
“The work to Blakey Moor Terrace will add to that providing a perfect location for new restaurants right in the heart of Blackburn’s cultural quarter.
“The refurbishment won’t be an easy task and we expect it to take at least a year but we know it’ll absolutely be worth the effort.
“We want to ensure strong futures for our town centres and with the work here at Northgate and the £250m masterplan for the former Thwaites site we’re in a really good position to do something fantastic for Blackburn.”
As part of the Townscape Heritage project,16 historic buildings in the Northgate Conservation area will be restored with work already completed on five.
David Renwick from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “This is a major step forward.
“The sensitive restoration and reuse of Blakey Moor Terrace after decades of near dereliction will be a real achievement.”
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