Victorian school's original features restored

The building had been a school from the Victorian era until the 1970s

The original features of a Victorian school in Shipley have been "sympathetically" restored as part of a £2.5m project to create a new community hub.

The building, on Kirkgate, will become the base for two charities when work is finished on the renovation this summer.

The 19th Century property was converted into a community centre in the 1970s when the school closed, but became increasingly run down as years passed.

As part of the refurbishment, a number of "striking" oblong windows have been uncovered and upgraded.

Government grants issued as part of the Shipley Towns Fund are covering the cost of the work.

The Kirkgate Centre, a social action charity which was already a long-term tenant, will move back into the premises.

The building's tall windows are among the features to have been sympathetically restored

Community arts charity The Hive will also retain a base at the site.

Nathan Tanswell, chair of the Kirkgate Centre, said: "The building itself means a lot to local people and it needed significant repairs to make it safe, comfortable and sustainable.

"One of the recent milestones has been installing the lift to enable further accessibility and create a flow around the building. The whole space already feels light and welcoming, as well as being as impressive as it was originally built to be."

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