More than 1,400 historic buildings across the UK remain derelict and abandoned, despite their prestigious pasts, as a campaign group continues to fight for their preservation. Save Britain's Heritage (SAVE) has added nearly 70 new locations to its annual Buildings at Risk register, highlighting structures that could be repurposed.
Among the newly listed sites is the Hydraulic Tower and Pump House in Hull, along with the Carlisle Turkish Baths, which were added to the Carlisle Public Baths and Washhouse in 1909. The Turkish Baths feature an interior of tiling and glazed faience by Minton Hollins of Stoke, with terrazzo flooring and marble bench tops. Closed by the council, a local group hopes to take it on and bring it back into use.
In Manchester's Northern Quarter, Withy Grove Stores appears largely abandoned, though the ground floor is occupied. The building is the only surviving Victorian industrial and commercial structure on the street. Tynemouth Library, a former 18th-century townhouse on the historic high street, is set to be demolished and replaced with a larger copy, despite potential for reuse.
Other additions include Moor Houses Farmhouse near Allendale, Northumberland, a semi-ruinous grade II listed bastle house from the late 16th or early 17th century, and one of only three roperies left in the country, built around 1800 in an undisclosed location. Bridgegate in Rotherham, a mid-18th-century red-brick townhouse sold at auction in 2020 but still empty, also features on the list.
SAVE's website states: 'We are at the forefront of national heritage conservation. We intervene to help historic buildings and places in serious danger of demolition or decay.' The group brings together architects, engineers, planners and investors to offer viable alternative proposals and, where necessary, takes legal action to prevent major losses.
