Restoration work begins on 'at-risk' building

The venue will be used for events once the work has been completed

One of Lincoln's oldest buildings is set to be brought back to life, with vital work now under way.

The project – funded by £3m from organisations including the National Lottery Heritage Fund – will bring Greyfriars on Broadgate back into use.

It is on Historic England's at-risk buildings register but it could reopen in 2025,

Joshua Wells, portfolio holder for inclusive economic growth at City of Lincoln Council, welcomed the start of the work.

The council said the improvement work would create a fully accessible venue for weddings, conferences and education.

"The building is so steeped in history and culture, and it will become an even more unique and treasured asset to the city once [it is] made more accessible for visitors," Wells said.

The exterior of the building will also be improved

The council and Heritage Lincolnshire announced that the funding had been secured in 2022. Alan Staley Building Contractors has been awarded the contract.

The building will be run by Heritage Lincolnshire once work is complete.

Tracy Stringfellow, chief executive at Heritage Lincolnshire, said she was "incredibly excited" to start the next stage of the project at the "iconic" Greyfriars.

She said a "tremendous amount of work has been going on behind the scenes" to get the project off the ground, and added: "We can’t wait to see work progress and for Greyfriars to begin serving the community once again.”

Dating back to 1230, Greyfriars is believed to be the oldest surviving Franciscan friary building in the country.

It has had various roles over the centuries, including as a Free School, a Jersey knitting and spinning school, a house of correction, a mechanics institute and the county museum.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.