Work underway on £4m project to restore buildings on historic Eldon Street in Barnsley

Visitors to Barnsley town centre may have spotted scaffolding as work is underway to restore buildings on Eldon Street, between Regent Street and the junction of Market Hill.

The Eldon Street High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) is a four-year project between Barnsley Council and Historic England which aims to bring back to life historic buildings through restoration work and cultural activity.

By the end of March, the project will have seen almost £4m of investment go into the historic street. It includes an ambitious community and schools’ engagement programme promoting creative careers and opening up possibilities within the town centre. Helping to connect the town’s heritage to the “stunning” new development, The Glass Works.

The final stage of the project is about to begin and will see conservation works completed to 58 Eldon Street (Leslie Frances Hairdressing Academy), 60 Eldon Street (Globe Holidays) and 70-72 Eldon Street (Best Kebab & Pizza).

The project, delivered by Barnsley Museums, with support from other local partners, has uncovered more about the fascinating heritage of Eldon Street and hidden stories behind the historic facades.

58 Eldon Street is one of the oldest surviving buildings on the street and was originally built as a linen warehouse. It later became an adult education school in the 1870s, before it became Anne Porter’s and Sons, one of Barnsley’s first department stores to cater specifically for women.

60 Eldon Street also has a fascinating history and has been used for many things over the years. It was originally built as a furniture shop and warehouse. Then in the 1880s it was a music warehouse selling instruments and sheet music. After that, Roebuck’s furniture emporium.

Next door, the Parkway Cinema is also due to have its original canopy restored as part of the street’s regeneration. The site has a long fascinating history but the current building was well known as the Odeon Cinema in the 1960s. Now as the Parkway Cinema, it is one of only a handful of cinemas in the UK to still use 70mm film.

Dr Tegwen Roberts, Heritage Action Zone Project Officer, commented: “There’s so much history hidden within these buildings. To be able to uncover so much of it and to share that with local communities has been incredible.”

As part of a £95m government-funded scheme, the HAZ’s aim nationally is to fuel economic, social and cultural recovery, while restoring previously neglected historic buildings to maintain them for generations to come.