Restoring the past

But even the most ardent Yorkshire football fan should not begrudge Mr Neville adding his weight to the deserved blaze of publicity surrounding the renovation and reopening of the Old Corn Mill in Penistone.

What the developers have achieved at this fine old building is truly remarkable.

To transform this 18th century mill into one of the country’s most sustainable buildings is a fantastic achievement. Constructing a “carbon positive” office block from scratch is difficult enough – to have achieved the same goal with a 250-year-old building is worthy of high praise indeed.

Yorkshire, of course, is developing something of a reputation for this kind of “retro-fitting” of old buildings with sustainable facilities. Long may it continue.

Such innovation allows us to find new uses for these magnificent reminders of a bygone age – and so ensure Yorkshire’s industrial heritage is preserved far into the future.