Valley Heritage are delighted to finally say: we’re about to own a building!
This week, the former Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank on the corner of Market St and Union Street, has been acquired by the charity. The aim, with the community’s support, is to breathe new life into this iconic building.
The purchase was made possible thanks to a £195,000 loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund in order to secure the acquisition. We have also received some support from Rossendale Borough Council, and drawn on our own organisation’s reserves in order to realise a new future for the Lancashire & Yorkshire.
Offering some housing, temporary accommodation and co-working space for local businesses, the bank will operate as “Alliance.” The name has multiple meanings, looking to the past and to the future. Historically, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank evolved out of the Alliance Bank, and we hope that in the future, Alliance will be a key focal point for the community, supporting our growth and development as a dynamic town, and creating connections between local people.
However, the journey is not yet over, and we need your help to get this architectural gem back on its feet. In order to transform the former bank into Alliance, a with Indycube and M3 Projects, we have further funds to raise. The whole refurbishment cost is estimated at approximately £400,000. Valley Heritage currently have active applications for grant funding amounting to £320,000, but we still need to raise a further £80,000 to make the idea a reality.
As such, we are humbly asking the community if they would be willing to make a contribution to the future of the project. At the bottom of this page, you can find a “donate via PayPal” link which will contribute directly to the funding of this project, and any donations over £25 will receive a Valley Heritage pin badge to demonstrate their support (as stocks last). Just as importantly, we are seeking community volunteers to donate their time and energy to help with our clean-up efforts at the end of the month.
To register your interest for clean-up crew, please email: jenna.johnston@valleyheritage.org.uk
Thank you to everyone that has offered their support thus far, financially and otherwise, including:
- Architectural Heritage Fund
- Rossendale Borough Council
- Indycube
- M3 Projects
- Ben Clark Design
- Blain Boland Solicitors
- Barclays Group
- Winter Solicitors
- Winworth Construction
- Barista 1832
You can make a donation here.
