Pen to Paper is a long-established card and gifts shop on Elliott Street and is well loved by local residents. The owner submitted an expression of interest form and applied for grant funding in order to undertake traditional shopfront reinstatement works. The existing shopfront comprised of metal arched window frames, two existing pilasters which were not symmetrical and an engineering brick stall riser. It also incorporated modern signage and an external Dutch canopy, both of which were unsympathetic to the Conservation Area.

The proposals included removal of an insensitive external roller shutter and construction of a traditional timber shopfront with hand-painted signage, awning, glazed brick slips to the stall riser and an internal security screen in keeping with Conservation Area requirements. During the removal of the existing shopfront, a concealed awning and awning mechanism were discovered. The mechanism was therefore refurbished and a new fabric awning installed as part the scheme. The reinstated traditional shopfront and use of the Tyldesley Town Design Guide colour pallet has had a major visual impact on the high street - what a transformation!

The poor condition of the former Bargain Booze / Cellar 5 building on Elliott Street meant that emergency repairs to stabilise the structure were a priority for the project, with work to restore the historic shopfront scheduled later. Following a detailed inspection by the project team, the scope of works included replacement of a failed timber lintel over the shopfront on the front elevation timber with a steel beam, new steel work internally to prop floors where walls had been removed historically, and tying of internal walls to the rebuilt gable. The decision was made not to re-render the elevation. Reroofing and repairs to the chimney were also undertaken.

Kate Mitchell, For Tyldesley Project Manager, said ‘we were faced with a rapidly deteriorating building so time was of the essence. We appreciate the support of the owner in getting this time-sensitive work done quickly, which will allow us to move on to restoring the shopfront’.

Once the structural repairs were completed, a second grant application was made to reinstate the traditional style shopfront and two timber frame sash windows to the first floor. The shopfront design is a modern interpretation of the traditional shopfront as seen in historic photographs, including features such as decorative timber pilasters, timber fascia and corbel blocks.

Cellar 5 is now open as a stylish cocktail bar and has proved very popular since opening in March 2023.

206 Elliott Street was formerly a newsagent with living accommodation above, but was vacant at ground floor, with the owners having their offices upstairs. They had obtained planning consent in 2020 to convert the upper floor into residential accommodation and insert a new shopfront to create a new ground floor office. However, whilst works were progressing onsite, elements of a Victorian shopfront were discovered when the existing signage fascia was removed. The For Tyldesley HAZ team actively engaged with the owners to encourage them to retain and sensitively restore these elements, and to reinstate missing architectural features. Refurbishment works were therefore halted until an alternative scheme could be developed.

The revised proposal was to repair/reinstate a traditional shopfront and undertake associated structural works. Works also included replacing the uPVC window at first floor with a timber doubled-glazed sash, repairs to brickwork, roof and chimney, and removing paint from the glazed brick frieze. Unfortunately, the paint on the rest of the wall proved impossible to clean off fully, and the frontage was repainted. The work to 206 will help restore and improve the character and appearance of the property in this part of the Conservation Area and help bring this building back into positive use, whilst protecting historic features that would otherwise be lost. The works finished in June 2022 and the office reopened in June 2023.

The owner of Mayhap Café was one of the first landlords on the high street to approach For Tyldesley regarding applying for grant funding to enhance historic features of the previously derelict night club on Chapel Street. The project involved restoration of the historic shopfront, new pilasters, corbels and fascia alongside part funding the upper floor timber sash window repairs and replacements. This involved upgrading them with double glazing to reduce the carbon footprint.

Mayhap Café is now a thriving speciality coffee house, on the ground floor, serving an incredible range of coffees, cakes, pastries and brunch options. The first floor consists of two one-bedroom high spec duplex apartments with amazing views over the Cheshire plain. It is now one of the main attractions in the town and has helped increase footfall into Tyldesley from further afield.

Ian Tomlinson, For Tyldesley Community Engagement Manager said ‘this project is a perfect example of what we are trying to achieve in Tyldesley. Bringing a vacant property back into use, providing residential accommodation and creating new jobs for local people. We hope that such projects will provide a great retail and leisure experience, that in turn, will improve the footfall and dwell time in the Conservation Area. We wish him good luck in his new venture’.

Located on Elliott Street (nos. 119-123), Frank’s Chippy and the HAZ Office are situated at the west end of the Tyldesley Conservation Area. The prominent, corner building has an interesting history and was previously occupied by a variety of businesses including Madame Radcliffe Milliners, Melia Ltd Food Distributors and Frank’s Chippy. It is an iconic building on the high street and many local residents have fond memories visiting Frank’s Chippy.

The works to Frank’s Chippy involved asbestos removal, repair and reinstatement of historic details to the Elliott Street shopfront, structural alterations and installation of a new shopfront to Lime Street, external masonry repair works and lime rendering and new sliding sash upper floor windows. An historic wall-painted shop sign, which was uncovered during the work, was repaired. Internally, substantial stabilisation works were carried out, and a compliant stair provided from the entrance to 30 Lime Street to the first floor flat, as a secondary fire escape was removed due to the separation of the HAZ Office.

The works to the adjacent shop (no 119) included asbestos removal, installation of a new shopfront, ramped access, provision of metal security gates, external render work and internal works (to make it into a separate unit) including the installation of a kitchenette and accessible WC.

The former chippy is to be used as a retail unit downstairs and residential apartments upstairs. The attached unit was used as the HAZ Office to provide a base for For Tyldesley’s Community Engagement Manager and volunteers. However, now the HSHAZ Scheme has come to a close, this unit will become available for a local business to rent.