Millions to be spent restoring historic mill complex

The Tone Works were once at the heart of the local garment industry

Almost £4m is set to be spent on essential repairs at an historic industrial site.

The Tone Works site and neighbouring Tonedale Mill near Wellington, Somerset was awarded close to £20m in government regeneration funding in 2023.

Somerset Council has now confirmed £3.8m of the funding will be spent at the Tone Works, after a review into how best to spend the total allocation.

The money will be used to complete structural repairs and install solar panels on the larger buildings within the site but the council has said there is no "masterplan for future use".

The Mill and Tone Works were once the centre of Fox Brothers & Co. Ltd, one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of woollen garments in the region, before doors closed for good in 2000.

Much of the equipment inside is listed, meaning it cannot be removed and will need to be preserved.

There have already been works to remove asbestos and prevent roof collapses across the complex

The remaining £16,311,000 of the levelling up grant will be targeted towards Tonedale Mill – which, unlike Tone Works, is currently in private hands.

The authority has however said that no long-term plan for the site would be created using any part of the levelling up grant.

In a recent written report, Executive Director for Community, Place and Economy, Chris Hall said the repair works were the "only next step that can be taken" before considering how the site may be used in the future.

"The addition of solar panels on the roofs and exploring the potential to bring water and waste services into the site will also help us to support new uses, as well as reduce ongoing maintenance costs," he added.

The council also said it had secured an extension with the government, giving it until March 2028 to spend the remaining grants.