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Work to restore the Fork n Ale Taproom and Kitchen is starting and is expected to take approximately eight weeks. It will include:
- restoring the frontage of their building to its original façade, and
- reinstating the original stained-glass windows.
Specialist work to bring back to life a parapet that was lost in the early 1980s is due to take place in the spring.
The Grade II listed building was constructed in the mid-19th Century and has a history of providing ale to locals, with many identities including the Bristol and Exeter, The Town Crier and Bonds. As the Fork n Ale, the building is now a popular town centre independent restaurant, bar, and music venue.
Andrew Bidmead, Landlord of the Fork n Ale, said: “There’s an excitement about the place now that work is starting and we’re looking forward to seeing the result.
“We would like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that we will remain open throughout the works.”
Councillor Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Business, Economy and Employment at North Somerset Council, said: “It’s so positive to see work starting on Weston’s second shopfront enhancement project.
“I look forward to seeing the realisation of the pipeline of shopfront enhancement throughout 2022. I believe this work will significantly improve the appearance of the town centre and in turn encourage more footfall and trade.”
The first business to take advantage of the town’s Shopfront Enhancement Scheme was family-run department store Walker and Ling. There an original mosaic was re-instated to the front of the landmark high street department shop.
Rebecca Barrett, Regional Director at Historic England, said: “We’re delighted that work is about to get underway at the Fork n Ale. As a historic business and a distinctive Victorian building it plays an important part in Weston’s story. The repairs will ensure it continues to do so for many years to come.’
Funded by Historic England, the shopfront enhancement scheme is open to priority properties within Weston’s Heritage Action Zones.
Weston has two Heritage Action Zones in its town centre thanks to a combined investment of £2m from Historic England. The Shopfront Enhancement Scheme is part of this work and will run until March 2024. More details can be found at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/heritageactionzone
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Notes to editors:
Weston-super-Mare has both a Heritage Action Zone and High Street Heritage Action Zone.
Great Weston Heritage Action Zone
• North Somerset Council was awarded £800k funding and Heritage Action Zone status by Historic England in 2017. It was one of the first places in England to receive this status. There are now 18 Heritage Action Zones in villages, towns and cities across England.
High Street Heritage Action Zone
• In 2020, North Somerset Council received a further investment of £1.1m from Historic England when it was awarded High Street Heritage Action Zone status. It is one of over 60 High Street Heritage Action Zones across England, which work to unlock the potential of historic high streets, while fuelling economic, social and cultural recovery.
For more information, visit the Historic England website: https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones
About High Streets Heritage Action Zones
The High Streets Heritage Action Zones is a £95 million government-funded programme led by Historic England and designed to secure lasting improvements to our historic high streets for the communities who use them. Historic England is working with local people and partners through grant funding and sharing our skills to help breathe new life into high streets that are rich in heritage and full of promise – unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. The High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme, backed by government funding, aims to help with the recovery of local high streets from regenerating historic buildings to helping to engage local communities through art and cultural projects. https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/regenerating-historic-high-streets/
About Historic England
We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories these places tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all. https://historicengland.org.uk/