#Amazing Accrington - Winter 2017

I LOVE OLD BUILDINGS by Graham Jones, Member of Parliament for Hyndburn

I used to sit upstairs in the council offices as the opposition leader imagining what could be done with the derelict historic property portfolio that Hyndburn council had.

As a child, we used to visit historic buildings - I found them to be of great fascination - the history behind these buildings, the people that lived in themand how they came, in some cases, to be ruinous. Our history and heritage are important. It is whowe are. Thereweremany days when I sat there, staring out of the council office window, wondering great things for our area. Though there is lile you can dowhen you are not the council leader and it is not your decision on what shall be done. I was inspired by a Great Harwood resident to visit the abandoned Churchfield House in the town, a once great, but nowderelict property. I sat in the council offices dreaming a dream, believing in a day when perhaps I couldmake those decisions and that these neglected buildings could come back to life. I wanted them to be handed over to the community and be used, restoring the architectural pride, artisan and crasmanship they once presented. Therewere the old park buildings steeped in family histories, the old terraced houses now standing as damp, impoverished slums, as well as themagnificent buildings of the old coon barons and industrialists in our town centres - buildings that define us. It was towards the end of the last decade that my colleagues and I put those solitary days in opposition to good use, with a plan to regenerate asmany of our old buildings as possible; to put community and people forefront and hand the running of themover to the people they served. Nick Collingridge, a former councillor for Clayton and great community activist, suggested I use the upstairs grand room inMercer House, Clayton, for ameeting.When Labour came into administration in 2011 our own grand planwas being rolled out. Mercer House 1842 was the first community group to come forwardwith an offer to bring this old, unloved and unused building, whichwas a constant magnet for vandalism, back into use. Here I was, upstairs with Nick four years later, staring in wonderment at the grand room that had so lovingly been restored to its period look and now used lovingly by the community for various events. Mercer House, Clayton, has benefited froma council willing to hand over the keys, fromcommunity activists able and determined to access grant funding for the refurbishments andwith a steely determination to ensure that the building is well managed and used. This old park building stands as an example of what can be achieved. I have revisitedChurchfieldHousemany times since itwas handedover to the community - it has become a jewel inGreat Harwood's crown. It’s one of life’s pleasures to sit in thequaint perioddining roomwith lace tablecloths, lovingly restored following an agreement ledbyHyndburn BoroughCouncil, and the fabulous groupof volunteerswho areoverseeing its restoration and successful management. Bubblingwith enthusiasm, Deborah Clark recently showedme the back of Elmfield Hall, Church, to showme their latest plans. The last dilapidated rooms are nowbeing refurbished and, across the yard, the local community gardeners groups are active in the large polytunnels.

burning down of the old historic Conservative Clubwas onlymatched by the sadness. We have lost toomany churches over the years and I know that this can be due tomajor structural issues but nonetheless, we should endeavour to save themwherewe can. I still believe that redundant churches offer sanctuary at least from theweather, their redeeming physical asset when considering revenue andmaintenance - perhaps the social and leisure industry would provide themeans of regeneration? Saving old buildings should not just be about saving the legacies of industrialists and thewealthy. I passionately believe that we can transformsome of our unloved and unwanted terraced properties because, for me, buildings are about people, about interest and about the facility. Toomany of our terraced properties have architectural and aesthetic history which should not be given away unnecessarily to the bulldozer - the fabulous stone facades can contain a desirable interior. It is that passion for old buildings and an absence of council funding that, back in 2012, led to the council to rip up themodernity of floating flags in AccringtonTown Centre and lay down stone flags the length of Blackburn Road, architecturally in keepingwith some of Accrington’s great buildings. A brave but sympathetic plan in part driven by itsmajor funder, the Heritage Loery. Having regenerated St James’ church gardens, with plans for the church itself, old Accrington is very slowly moving forward. Our old buildings are beginning to enjoy a renaissance. From the Hyndburnmuseum to the refurbishment of the historic Grade 2* listed Martholme House, there is a new architectural revivalism.

The once vandal hit building has now had an externally funded £330,000 communitymakeover, following Hyndburn Council's support for the social enterprise that has taken the building on. No longer are the gardens at Gay Park spoilt by the abandonment of a once great mansion house.Walking into Elmfield Hall you get the sense that this is, once again, a thriving community. The double glass doors nowpresent amodern office and conference facility but, in keeping with the buildings original features, the large door is a social gateway to a pleasant and popular community café. This building has come alive. The challenge of saving buildings varies as some are not in hands of public organisations. TheMary Hindle Centre, in Haslingden, is a building I knew lile about when I becameMP. It is, in fact, themost famous building in the constituency. Its recently elevated recognitionwas largely gained as a result of the hardwork of the great local historian, Bill Turner, in his book, ‘Riot! The Story of the East Lancashire LoomBreakers of 1826’. It would have been easy to havewalked away and allow theMary Hindle Centre’s history to be lost and sold to a downmarket retailer or to become a rundown warehouse. My passion for these old buildings meant that I had to be there and I had to try and do something - I just believed that history was worth saving. That determination, spirited by a community effort, managed to save the building and return it to public ownership - its history preserved by its newoccupants, -

colleagues, councillor Claire Prichard, and the current council leader, councillorMiles Parkinson, would, and did, lead to the transformation of somany of our old historic buildings. Prior to 2011, I sat in toomanymeetings whichwere devoid of any passion or ambition, wheremoney had the confei value but yet our heritagewas roing. I recall discussions to sell off themarket hall. I sat despairingly at discussions around an inability tomanage the Howarth Art Gallery and serious considerations being given to dispose of it to Lancashire County Council. I always had hope that things could be beer. I believe that our historymaers. Six years on and the Howarth Art Gallery is a huge success. Investment and beer management have transformed this crown jewel. Turning it around requiredwhat wasmissing: passion, vision and determination, as well as a great deal of respect for the past. It is open longer, has facilities for young people, has tripled the number of visitors and there is a sense of pride that this historic building is back in demand. It now caters for weddings and other private gatherings. The people of Haslingden and Hyndburn can be proud of these historic transformations. Wandering out into the sunshine at HowarthArt Gallery you are now pleasantly greeted, not by the derelict stables, but refurbished artisan buildings. This incredible transformation of Howarth Art Gallery has been achieved, not through vain glorious Council Tax spending, but working hard for heritage grants and the determination to succeed. I knowmy colleagues feel proud of their achievements. Last year I wrote to the council inquisitively askingwhy the old Methodist Hall, Clayton, was being demolished. A part of our history and our soul is lost when these buildings of great stature and community are no longer. It transpires that it could not be saved, with all options exhausted. The pridewe have in our old buildings is immense and the

Much more of our history is now in the publics hands and long may this historical transformative renaissance continue for our history belongs to all of us.

Veterans in the Community. It’s another historic buildingwhich is coming alive. I still have hope that the HelmshoreTextile Museumcan be saved. Opposition can oen represent emptiness. Controlling the council provides opportunity. Yet, it was still hard to realise back then that this passion shared by both of my senior

Above: Graham enjoying tea at the refurbished Churchfield House in Great Harwood Opposite: Inside the Howarth Art Gallery. Outside view of the updated building.

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