'Impractical and impossible' to install lift in revamped Grade II-listed Yorkshire town hall
Yarm Town Hall is being transformed and restored into a heritage centre, with a learning area and exhibitions on its first floor. The work at the High Street landmark prompted a question at a Yarm Town Council meeting. Brian Newcombe, a member of the public, asked councillors: “Is the town hall getting a lift put in?” When the answer came no, he said: “We can’t have an educational centre if it’s not open to the public.”
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Hide AdWhen told it was open to the public, he said: “Well it isn’t if you’re disabled.”
Councillor Alan Moffitt said: “I quite agree with you but the answer was it was impractical to put one in. It would take up too much room… The building is listed and has regulations that we can’t change.”
Council clerk Juliet Johnson said: “We looked at it every which way and the architect looked at how big the footprint would be. I think the will of the council has obviously been fit a lift if you can and it just was not possible. Up until now, no one with a disability has been able to use the town hall at all other than that toilet. What it has done is make the ground floor accessible.
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Hide Ad“We’re not saying the heritage centre is all in that building. It’s a whole load of activities. We’re planning outreach activities because of that very issue.”
She said artefacts upstairs could be brought down and there would be a catalogue online on TV screens downstairs. She added: “We tried to take a managed approach. The whole council would love to have seen a lift. It’ll take a while but we’re going to try and make sure things are available there.”
Coun Peter Monck, project lead for the heritage centre, said the council had been told it was not practicable. Mr Newcombe responded: “Course it’s practical. You can put a lift anywhere… It is discriminatory because disabled people can’t gain access upstairs.”
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Hide AdChair Coun John Coulson said: “I think you’ve got to be mindful that it’s very restrictive to put a lift in. The building isn’t big. It’s a listed building, you can’t add to it. It’s just an impossible situation. If it had been humanly possible, physically possible, building possible, it would have been done. It’s not discriminatory. It’s just the building is the building and that’s how it is.”
Ms Johnson added: “This council isn’t saying it can’t do it. This council has been told it can’t do it.”
A spokesperson for the town council later said English Heritage, Historic England and the Georgian Society were consulted when the idea for a heritage centre first emerged years ago, and a historic buildings officer was consulted before Stockton Council granted planning permission for the refurbishment.
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Hide AdThe spokesperson said: “Part of the proposals include alterations to the staircase to open up the ground floor plan, which would result in minimal loss of existing fabric and provide wider public benefit. The opportunity to include a passenger/platform lift to the first floor was assessed but given the spatial constraints and the detriment this would cause to the historic listed building fabric, this was deemed not to be appropriate.
“Prior to this scheme, the town hall has been inaccessible to wheelchair users and those with significant mobility issues – the approved plans now give full public access to the ground floor with the provision of level access, automated doors and accessible toilet. The heritage centre will act as a focus for a range of education and community outreach activities based on community feedback, not just at the centre itself but at other indoor and outdoor spaces, giving a variety of heritage opportunities and access.”
The council heard of the work’s progress, with excavations revealing an original toll booth floor and artefacts which might date to the 16th century. A ground floor layout has been proposed with a “large central structure” telling Yarm’s story including projection, audio and artefacts like a sword, flood bell, weighbridge arm and reproduction of a 10th-century Viking helmet unearthed in Yarm, with the long-term aim of getting the original helmet back from Preston Park Museum.
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Hide AdMs Johnson said the centre would act as a beacon for walks, talks and other events, working with communities and linking to tourism strategies. She said: “It’s a big thing, so putting that on the map nationally is important… to tell all the exciting stories of Yarm.”
The works are projected to be completed in mid-May, with fitting out to follow.