Cherry on top

We hired a cherry picker this week, to allow our architects to have a closer look at the gutters, roof and windows to prepare the specification for the external repairs. There are around 60 sash windows which need to be overhauled, which will include some new windows to be made off-site. We hope to have a contractor appointed to do this phase of the restoration by Easter and have the work carried out over this summer making the most of good weather. The contract should take 6 months. Of course this does mean some interruption on site, not least by having scaffold erected around the building and within our courtyard and plans are being prepared to enable us to carry on business as usual.

We didn’t want to keep all the fun of the cherry picker to ourselves, so we organised a little Twitter competition, with the winner being offered a trip to the top. A random number generator brought up the winner as Councillor Ed Nash, Mayor of St Annes. Councillor Nash was happy to be strapped into a safety harness to make the way to the top in the cherry picker, which allowed him great views over the restored South Prospect Garden and the Lily Pond. He was also able to observe from up close the paintwork restoration that is needed on the Grade I listed Hall.