Ploughcroft complete restoration work on bell tower of Halifax’s £19.2m Piece Hall

Ploughcroft Eco-Roof, the Halifax-based heritage roofing expert, has completed a restoration project on the bell tower of Halifax’s historic Piece Hall, one of the final phases of the building’s £19.2m re-opening.

Situated at the Piece Hall’s main Westgate entrance, the bell tower was originally used to sound the beginning and end of trading with any merchant caught working outside of permitted hours given a fine, though in recent years it has fallen into a state of disrepair.

Ploughcroft, which was briefed to restore it to its former glory, have re-leaded the bell tower, in particular the lead turret, and installed extra lead welding on the lead dome and drips.

The project forms part of Ploughcroft’s wider involvement in Piece Hall’s restoration, that has seen it repairing and maintaining the 10,000 stone slates on the building’s sprawling roof over the past 12-months.

Chris Hopkins, managing director at Ploughcroft Eco-Roof, commented: “Being a Halifax-based business ourselves, we’re delighted to have worked on such an important historical, local landmark.

“The bell tower is an integral part of the building, and is well-known locally, so this has been a fantastic opportunity for us to not only put our heritage roofing expertise into action, but to restore such an important landmark and focal point of the town back to its original glory.”

Set to open late 2016, the Piece Hall transformation project is funded by Calderdale Council and a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with GRAHAM Construction working on, and overseeing the project.

When the Piece Hall reopens, it will feature a Heritage Interpretation Centre, where visitors will be able to learn about the history of the building, independent shops, cafés and a newly landscaped courtyard area, which will be used for events, concerts and festivals, as well as being an attractive space for visitors to relax.