Member Article

£250k revamp of York Rowntree family hall by William Anelay

Folk Hall in New Earswick has undergone a £250k refurbishment carried out by the small works division of York-based buildingrestoration specialists William Anelay Ltd.

The grade 1 Listed building (and grade 2 in parts), based on Haxby Road, is an important community hub that opened its doors in 1907 as part of the Rowntree family’s ‘model village’.

The hall, extended in 1935, is still owned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and serves as a facility for many local community groups and organisations.

The scope of works, carried out by William Anelay Ltd since the start ofFebruary 2014, included a lot of internal redecoration, external rendering and roof repairs, extensive electrical work and refurbishment of the main hall and community café areas.

Site manager Ollie Hughes explained: “There were a number of elements to the work we carried out at the Folk Hall with new electrics being one of the most urgent considerations.

“All of the work was carried out whilst the building was in use making it a complex refurbishment project at times but the end result is a revived community resource that will benefit everyone in New Earswick.”

Funding for the project came from Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

William Anelay Ltd, founded in 1747, is one of the oldest construction companies in the world and currently employs over 100 staff with a turnover of £30 million.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .