Hull's landmark art deco Burton building set for revival

The grade II listed building, on the corner of Whitefriargate, has been closed since 2020

A landmark art deco building in Hull which was at risk of being left derelict is to be brought back to life.

The old Burton store in the city centre has been empty since its owner Arcadia went into administration in 2020.

It was purpose-built as a fashionable men's tailor shop in 1936 by the clothing chain's in-house architect Harry Wilson.

Developers want to restore the grade II listed building to create a retail or restaurant space with offices upstairs.

With its striking art deco facade, the building was constructed using polished emerald pearl black granite and is one of the most distinctive in the city.

Developers say they want to "save" the landmark building and bring it back into use

However, it has fallen into disrepair with defective cladding panels and cracks that have allowed water to leak inside.

Developers Wykeland Group said they had worked with Historic England and Hull City Council's conservation officer to come up with plans for a "sympathetic regeneration" to bring "an important commercial space back into use".

The plans would involve replacing all the windows and creating a new entrance facing Whitefriargate based on the design of the original Burton shopfront.

The building's internal art deco-style metal cage lift would also be refurbished and brought back to use and the historic signs for Burton's would be put back up in their original locations.

Jonathan Stubbs, development director at Wykeland, said there had already been interest in businesses wanting to move into the building.

Subject to planning approval, work on the building is expected to begin in early 2023.

The project is expected to take up to 12 months, meaning the building could be in use again by late 2023 or early 2024.