The Croft Farm Construction P R machine has hit the ground running at the start of 2018, to get our project, and the work Croft Farm is doing on our behalf, out there by spreading the word about the involvement of Croft Farm in the internal upgrade of the Red Tower. Under instructions from Phil Gledall, the Croft Farm MD, Mike Clarke, of Mike Clarke Communications has created and distributed an excellent press release which not only promotes Croft Farm Communication locally, regionally and nationally in the local and business media, it also raises the profile of the Red Tower itself. and its dedicated CIC team.
Please see below the full text of the press release and links to the media companies who are making it available to the public.
CROFT FARM CONSTRUCTION HELPS RED TOWER MOVE TO 21ST CENTURY AS MODERN COMMUNITY CENTRE
Refurbishment is underway to transform one of the UK’s most unusual historic buildings and the scene of a medieval murder over a trade dispute during its construction 500 years ago, into a 21st century café and community hub.
Award-winning Croft Farm Construction, York, is refurbishing Grade 1 Listed, The Red Tower, near Navigation Road, York, part-funded by King Richard III, before his death at Bosworth Field in 1485, and later completed by his successor as the only section of the city’s medieval walls built from brick rather than magnesian limestone.
Internal fitting out in a £90,000 contract has started for owner, not-for-profit Red Tower Community Interest Company (CIC), which secured a 30-year lease from City of York Council in February 2017.
After refurbishment, the property, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the highest classification of protected building, will incorporate meeting and events space, LED lighting, a café, kitchen and WC as a community hub for residents, visitors and businesses. Funding is from Yorventure’s Landfill Communities Fund, City of York Council and Two Ridings Community Foundation. Profits will subsidise community use.
Croft Farm Construction, Dunnington, which refurbished Clementhorpe Maltings, Bishopthorpe, national residential winner in this year’s Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) awards, for York developer, Northminster Ltd, and a category winner in this autumn’s York Design Awards for Bishopsbarn, St George’s Place, was recommended and appointed after tendering. /more…
Managing director, Phil Gledall, says: “While this is a small project, it was irresistible because of the exciting challenge of working on such an unusual historic building with a remarkable background. I doubt that any of us involved– and one is an apprentice joiner – will get to work on anything similar in the rest of our lives.
“It is wonderful to be part of a project breathing new life into a property which has lain empty for centuries because no one knew what to do with it until Red Tower CIC developed its vision to revitalise it as a community hub.”
“The structure and listings associated with The Red Tower restrict how we can work and we are applying traditional skills and attention to detail, such as fastening into mortar joints rather than brickwork, so as not to damage the ancient fabric.”
The Navigation Road area was affected by severe floods during Christmas 2015 destroying a pop-up café, run by volunteers who now run Red Tower CIC, and the refurbishment, designed by York architects, Holland Brown, incorporates measures to minimise flood damage, including a steel, rather than timber-built, glass-enclosed staircase, polished concrete work surfaces and kitchen cabinets on castors for fast removal.
Red Tower CIC chairman, Barry Beckwith, says: ”The Red Tower has been dormant for far too long and it is our duty to provide a quality community resource. We are delighted that work has started and are confident that Croft Farm Construction will do a first-rate job.
“We want The Red Tower to be available during crises so comfort and information can be made available. Since a local men’s club closed there is no community facility and we want to give local people, including many elderly and infirm, a new meeting place. Charitable advice organisations are also keen to use The Red Tower as an outreach centre. We have already hosted Older Citizens Advocacy York (OCAY), a healing clinic and hope to create a community cinema and entertainment such as folk nights.
“Our lease includes gardens east and west of the tower with growing beds offering vegetables free to local people. We have also held free residents BBQs and plan to work with the newly-formed Walmgate Community Association which covers Walmgate and the Navigation Road estate badly-affected by the 2015 floods.”
Because The Red Tower was built of brick, its construction did not please local stonemasons unhappy that tilers were asked to build the property. The tilers sought protection from the city council to stop masons threatening them and breaking their tools. In 1491, a tiler, John Patrik was murdered. Two masons, York’s Master Mason, William Hindley, and an accomplice, Christopher Homer, were charged with murder but later acquitted.
Ends
Issued for Croft Farm Construction by Mike Clarke Communications. Media contact: Mike Clarke tel: 01423-501663. E-Mail info@mikeclarkecommunications.co.uk.
Links to the publishing media companies below:
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/business/news/15804379.Builders_start_once_a_life_job/?ref=mac
http://www.blmforum.net/mag/murder-scene-transformed-into-21st-century-cafe/
The Red Tower CIC wish to thank Phil Gledall (Croft Farm) and Mike Clarke (Mike Clarke Communications) for granting permission to reproduce the above.
