Multi-million pound revamped Yorkshire mill to feature in major film

A Yorkshire mill, undergoing a multi-million pound renovation, is the backdrop for a high profile film starring Bill Nighy and Olivia Cooke.

Dalton Mills, located in Keighley, is undergoing a major revamp to be transformed into commercial, retail and leisure space. The 200,000 sq. ft. site is partially renovated, with a Clock Tower that houses around 26 businesses.

Work is currently taking place on its Genappe Mill, and interest has already come in from major office, leisure and retail brands.

Previously employing over 100 people in its prime, the mill began to suffer in line with the UK’s manufacturing industry and by the 1980’s, it was virtually empty. The mill was purchased by a property developer in 2004 but was never regenerated, and in 2010 a huge blaze destroyed a large portion of the site.

Since Bellissimo Investments took ownership of Dalton Mills in 2013, its restoration has made major developments, and work is well underway to transform it into a mixed-use scheme.

The renovation work to the Genappe Mill includes a new roof and sandblasting to the front of the building.

The mill will be featured in The Limehouse Golem, a 19th century murder mystery, adapted from a novel by author Peter Ackroyd.

The film, directed by Juan Carlos Medina, is using Keighley locals as extras and will receive a major worldwide release.

Paul Harris, Dalton Mill’s owner, said: “The scale of the site and the architecture of the mill lends itself really well to a gothic, period film such as the Limehouse Golem. It’s great to have a major production like this taking place here, it’s exciting for us, and also for Keighley as a whole, with so many extras being employed. Within the next year, further renovations on Genappe Mill will have taken place and we may even have tenants in place so it might be the last chance to capture the mill as it is now.”

As well as Nighy and Cooke the Limehouse Golem, which is being made by independent production company, Day Tripper, will also feature Douglas Booth and Eddie Marsan. The gothic, murder mystery, set in 1880, is due for release in 2016.

Dalton Mills, which is located five minutes from Keighley rail station, has mixed use planning permission and its next phase of development should be complete and ready for commercial tenants next year.