Business diary: Art discovery puts Treske in the picture

tHE discovery of a forgotten masterpiece has created a business opportunity for a Yorkshire company.
The 13th century Holy Trinity Church in Bradford-on-Avon.The 13th century Holy Trinity Church in Bradford-on-Avon.
The 13th century Holy Trinity Church in Bradford-on-Avon.

Treske, the manufacturer of bespoke furniture, kitchens and church furnishings, has played a major role in the transformation of a Wiltshire church, following the church’s discovery of a 16th century Flemish painting worth more than £1m.

The award-winning company, based in Thirsk, has installed the furniture at the 13th century Holy Trinity Church in Bradford-on-Avon.

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Justin Bartlett, the owner and managing director of Treske, told Diary: “This is a fascinating story, the equivalent of Holy Trinity winning the lottery.

“For more than 70 years, a small, apparently unremarkable painting, depicting Christ, hung unnoticed on the walls of the medieval parish church.

“Its true value was first discovered in 2006, when two art historians, researching another painting in the church, stumbled across it. It was revealed to be a Flemish masterpiece by Quentin Metsys, dated about 1500. It had originally been given to the church in 1940 by Major T Goff, an illegitimate great grandson of King William IV.

“Metsys, a prominent member of the accomplished Dutch and Flemish school of the 15th and 16th centuries, is held in high regard today. So when his painting was sold by private treaty in 2013, it fetched in excess of £1m, a windfall that almost every parish church in the country could only dream about.

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“Without doubt this renovation, which has just been completed, is the most significant in the church’s rich and colourful history.”

At a crossroads

The future of Leeds’ transport and infrastructure network is at a crossroads, according to senior members of Leeds City Council and industry experts.

With a proposal in place to spend more than £270m of investment on the city’s infrastructure, Diary attended a seminar to discuss the planned initiatives, including new rail halts, upgraded trans Pennine rail connections and improvements to Leeds train station, which could provide the greatest catalyst for economic growth.

Despite Leeds experiencing strong growth in its retail, property, manufacturing and digital sectors, the city is still facing a significant challenge to ensure the benefits are felt across the city.

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The seminar, hosted by Shulmans LLP and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, was attended by speakers from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Legal and General Capital and Transport for the North as well as 150 invited guests from key businesses in the area.

Adrian Kemp director at WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff said: “Leeds must be ambitious and forward-thinking in its approach to transform the city’s transport network in a way that aligns with the city’s plans for growth, both economic and in terms of population.

“Key to the success of any integrated transport system is an understanding of the socio-economic and demographic make-up of the areas to identify those that need better connections across the city and wider region.

“Put simply, it’s about connecting people to jobs through better transport links across the city region and the wider North. By starting with people first, we can future-proof our transport system, and strengthen Leeds’ offer as part of the Northern Powerhouse.”

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Andrew Latchmore, the chairman of the debate and a partner at Shulmans, added: “It is great to hear that a significant upgrade is planned for our city’s transport network. Delivering this alongside a complete transformation of Leeds City Station will create a world class integrated transport hub.

“Bringing together enhanced local and trans Pennine services with bus services, and eventually HS2, will take Leeds up a gear, making the city a number one choice for UK or international businesses looking for a new home.”

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