York's Mansion House closes for £2m restoration

York's Mansion House, is the official home of the city's Lord Mayor

A "nationally significant" Georgian townhouse is to close for a year later for a major £2m restoration project.

The Mansion House in York is the official home of the city's Lord Mayor and was built in 1732.

The project secured about £1.2m in lottery funding in March and the City of York Council has agreed to invest a further £736,000.

The renovated building will reopen in late 2016 with extended opening hours, according to the council.

Some parts of the building are in serious need of restoration

The Opening Doors project is to give the historic house a "more financially secure future", the authority said.

It will restore the building's original kitchens, improve displays and access to the civic collection of gold and silverware.

An oral history project on the building's history is also planned.

Fiona Spiers, of the Heritage Lottery Fund, previously said the planned work would "reveal its true Georgian splendour to visitors".

Councillor Keith Aspden, of City of York Council said: "It is pleasing to see this restoration taking place to further improve visitor experience in this historic building."