Fire damaged historic building re-launched as boutique hotel
An historic building in South Yorkshire which has been unused since the mid-1990s after being severely fire damaged has been brought back to life as a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant.
The iconic Grade 11 listed building, the George Wright, is tucked away behind the High Street on Snail Hill in Rotherham and dates back to the beginning of the 19th century.
It has now re-opened its doors as a seven-bedroomed boutique hotel in a £500,000 scheme which has created 25 jobs.
The George Wright features a function room that can accommodate 150 people with open terraces and a botanical-type garden to the rear. The building also boasts gin and whisky bars and a gallery restaurant with an open kitchen offering fine-dining for up to 80 people.
The redevelopment has been designed by architects Self and White design.
Project architect Kevin Unwin said: “This is a brilliant regeneration project which is bringing new life to a wonderful building, creating jobs and providing something unique for the people of Rotherham.
“We have, wherever possible, reinstated a lot of the original brickwork, natural stone and timber which has been left exposed to keep the feel of the building throughout. The internal fit out has also included the refurbishment of things like original fireplaces and front doors.”
The ‘hiddden gem’ of a Grade 11 listed building was built in 1810 as offices for George Wright & Co, famous for designing and manufacturing elaborate stoves and fireplaces. It was also legal offices and was last used as a pub and restaurant.
Heritage Lottery Funding backed by Rotherham Council enabled the fire damaged shell of the building to be repaired in 2013, when it was bought by Chris Hamby as part of his High Street regeneration project in Rotherham.
Another local businessman Mark McGrail then bought it and, working with Self and White Design, has transformed the building.
McGrail, director at Parkgate firm SME Environmental Services, said: “This is a remarkable building which many people still don’t know exists, a hidden gem that Rotherham should be proud of.
“This is all about celebrating Rotherham’s history and its people but also helping to create a strong future too. There have been over 250,000 expressions of interest and requests for more information online and so we are very confident that people really want this kind of high-quality establishment in Rotherham.”
White Design and Self worked with McGrail last year on transforming the old mail sorting office on Domine Lane into the 1915 Bar and Bistro.
