Historic building ‘restored to former glory’ in Hull

A Hull landmark has been unveiled in its rejuvenated state as scaffolding is removed from the 1930s Burton building, marking a significant step in the city’s regeneration efforts.

The art deco building, now renamed Burton House, is being “restored to its former glory” by Wykeland Group, a regeneration specialist.

The renovation includes replacing granite cladding sourced from the same Norwegian quarry as the original 1930s material and installing replica art deco windows. Once completed, Burton House will offer 12,700 sq ft of prime city centre space across five floors, including a proposed ground-floor retail or restaurant area.

Due to the extent of the restoration work and the building’s listed status, grant funding was essential to make the project viable. The project is being supported by £750,000 from the Levelling Up Fund Grant Scheme, allocated by Hull City Council to support regeneration in the city, with a further £450,000 grant from Historic England.

Cllr Paul Drake-Davis, Hull City Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, said: “It’s wonderful to see Burton House being rightly restored to its former glory.

“For people visiting the city centre, it is a symbol of the wider regeneration of Hull which simply could not happen without companies like Wykeland.

“Hull City Council will continue to work closely with Wykeland on the broader rejuvenation of Whitefriargate, alongside other key sites in the city. Like everyone, I’m now excited to see the inside of Burton House take shape, ready for occupants to move in.”

Wykeland acquired the vacant site in 2021 after it was left empty following the collapse of Arcadia Group. The project is part of the company’s broader efforts to revitalise Whitefriargate and Alfred Gelder Street, where it has invested in multiple properties to rejuvenate Hull’s city centre.

Jonathan Stubbs, Wykeland development director, added: “There has, unsurprisingly, been a huge amount of excitement and anticipation surrounding the regeneration of the Burton building.

“As one of the best-known landmarks in Hull, we’ve approached this project with a great deal of care and sympathy.

“With the scaffolding now removed, and the restored exterior of the building revealed, people can envisage how Burton House will transform the entrance to Whitefriargate.

“As the project has progressed, we have had growing levels of interest from potential leisure and retail occupiers of the ground floor and basement accommodation, looking to make the most of this rare opportunity to move into a prime, regenerated city centre space.

“We expect that demand will further intensify now people can see the quality of the restoration we are carrying out.”

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