A 150 year-old Victorian-era listed building, home to a beloved chippy, could see restoration works take place.
An application has been made to make external repairs to The Mermaid, by Cleethorpes Railway Station. The aim is for all original features of the building lost or damaged to be repaired and restored.
There would be repairing and painting the cast iron columns and decorative brackets around the exterior, masonry checked and repointed, and the building repainted in the original livery colours of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway company. The existing lead roof would be replaced with aluminium.
Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society are fully supportive of the proposal, in a comment on the application. “This is the type of restoration that Civic Societies look for being undertaken.” Read on below for more on The Mermaid and recent planning developments.
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‘Something we’ve wanted to do for a long time’
The Mermaid Café building was built as a waiting room for the recently opened Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway in 1874. It is part of the listed buildings at the railway station.
Leaseholders Charles Crawford and Craig Brown said: “This is something that we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, having gained planning and Listed Building consent back in 2021. Due to the complexities of the restoration, we knew that financial support would be required, and we’re really pleased to get the backing of The National Lottery Heritage Fund for some of the work. We can’t wait to see what the building will look like when it’s restored.”
The Railway Trust are also match-funding the project. “We’re really happy to be working collaboratively with both the leaseholders and the council, and provide this additional funding to help restore this former railway building,” said Tim Hedley-Jones from the Trust.
North East Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson said: “I’m really pleased to see this particular building come forward as part of the Townscape Heritage Project. It’s one of the key buildings that people see as they arrive in Cleethorpes on the train, and to have it restored to its former glory will be wonderful!” The work would be carried out by CAG, who have completed National Lottery-funded heritage works in other areas of the resort.
Artist’s impression of inside the new driver / conductor office at Cleethorpes Railway Station. The station is run by TPE
(Image: Strzala Architects / TPE)
Cleethorpes Railway Station
Very close by, an application has been made to bring back into use vacant space in a railway building on platform one. “The proposed refurbishment of the ETCS [European Time Control System] Hub aims to improve functionality and accessibility while respecting the historic character of this listed building,” the application states.
It would be turned into a new driver and conductor office. An entrance door and three timber sash windows would be replaced as part of the works. Two of the windows have had to be boarded up because of damage to them.
The proposed restoration is described as an “essential step” to address years of under-use and deterioration. The application is complete with some eye-catching artist’s impressions.
Another impression of inside the future driver / conductor office at Cleethorpes Railway Station.
(Image: Strzala Architects / TPE)
Long empty property to be brought back into use
A Grimsby property empty for many years is proposed for conversion into 11 flats. Each would be self-contained, with en suite and kitchen.
Located in Chantry Lane, the property used to be a doctor’s surgery a number of years ago. The interior is in “poor condition”, an application document states. “It is argued that the conversion will provide much needed accommodation and bring a building that is in disrepair back into use.”
Racks expands
Finally, planning approval has been granted to a small expansion of a popular Grimsby town centre sports bar. Racks, off Osborne Street, opened in 2022 and expanded last year to include another bar, a restaurant grill and more interactive games.
It applied for change of use of a next door retail unit, originally a shoe shop, into additional seating space. This has been granted with a council report concluding: “The reuse of the retail unit is considered positive and will bring a vacant building back into use within a conservation area.”
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