Basement of York building which houses remains of Second World War air raid shelter could be turned into shop

The basement of a York city centre building which houses the remains of a Second World War air raid shelter could be turned into a shop under new plans.

Plans lodged with York Council would see the basement of 12-16 Spurriergate, currently home to the Shoes 4 U shop, converted into retail space.

The application from Park Newton Estates Ltd stated the conversion would create high-quality retail space in a currently unused part of the Grade II-listed building.

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The plans would see the air raid shelter’s brick walls removed and the basement turned into shop space with a staff kitchenette and toilets to the rear.

The remains of an air raid shelter with lettered pillars used to organise the public during raids, in the basement of 12-16 Spurriergate, York. Picture is from Park Newton Estates Ltd/York Council's planning portalThe remains of an air raid shelter with lettered pillars used to organise the public during raids, in the basement of 12-16 Spurriergate, York. Picture is from Park Newton Estates Ltd/York Council's planning portal
The remains of an air raid shelter with lettered pillars used to organise the public during raids, in the basement of 12-16 Spurriergate, York. Picture is from Park Newton Estates Ltd/York Council's planning portal

A heritage statement lodged as part of the plans stated the building’s basement was among the spaces converted into public Street Communal Shelters during the Second World War.

The shelters were created in cities across the UK to provide people with protection during Luftwaffe air raids.

The one in basement beneath Spurriergate was created in 1939 with records showing that the location was chosen shortly after the outbreak of war on September 3.

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The shelter subject to the plans is likely the remaining part of a much larger structure built beneath the row of buildings in Spurriergate.

The basement was reinforced with concrete floors and ceilings in an effort to strengthen the building above which dates to the mid-19th Century.

Plans stated the basement would likely have sheltered people during the Baedeker Blitz of 1942.

York was among the cities targetted by the Luftwaffe during a series of raids launched in response to the RAF’s bombing offensive launched earlier in the same year.

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York was targetted along with Bath, Cantebury, Exeter and Norwich, with the cities chosen because of their historic and cultural value.

A raid on York in April 1942 killed 79 people and the city’s Guildhall was among the buildings damaged during the attacks.

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