Much-loved park conservatory demolished

Stamford Park Conservatory has been demolished, to the dismay of some local residents

A popular 100-year-old conservatory has been demolished, despite a campaign by local people to save the building.

Stamford Park Conservatory, in Stalybridge, was earmarked for demolition five years ago after Tameside Council decided it could no longer afford the maintenance costs.

In a statement this week, the council said it had "no option" but to take down the building after an arson attack over the bank holiday weekend left the structure unsafe.

Local resident Joanne Page called the demolition "really, really upsetting".

Kat Brown took part of the conservatory door-frame as a keepsake

Ms Page, from Stalybridge, is one of several local people who told BBC Radio Manchester of fond memories visiting the conservatory with their families.

"Everyone's just absolutely gutted - it's part of our heritage, we love that conservatory," said Ms Page.

Kat Brown, from Ashton, even salvaged part of a door from the demolition site as a keepsake.

She said her family were devastated to see the place they used to visit as children being torn down.

"My dad broke down and cried about this being demolished - it's horrible".

"I just think it's so sad," said Lorraine Beard, who told the BBC the council should have done more to look after the building.

Joanne Page said generations of people had cherished the conservatory

Previously home to a wide array of subtropical pants, the conservatory was given to the Tameside community in 1907 by John Nield.

Originally a Victorian-style timber and iron-framed glasshouse, it was almost completely rebuilt in 1985, and refurbished in 2003.

A local campaign group tried to stop its demolition and have the building preserved for the community, but had failed.

It has stood empty for nearly a decade, having been scheduled for demolition in 2019.

In a statement, Tameside Council cited an independent survey in November 2023 which calculated the conservatory would cost about £620,000 to restore and should be demolished for safety reasons.

Continued break-ins and an arson attack over the previous bank holiday weekend had made the site a hazard which the council had a duty to deal with, it added.

The conservatory had been fenced off for years over safety fears