York Conservation Trust steps in for Visit York
AN historic building has been given a new lease of life after being acquired by York Conservation Trust.
The three-storey corner property at 1 Museum Street to 2 Blake Street, which was most recently used as offices by City of York Council, has become the new base for visitor information centre, Visit York, after being acquired by York Conservation Trust with backing from Yorkshire Bank’s North Yorkshire Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).
Administration staff at Visit York have moved into the top two floors after relocating from offices in George Hudson Street and the tourist information centre, which helps thousands of local people and tourists each year, is due to relocate from the De Grey Rooms, also owned by York Conservation Trust, to occupy the ground floor later this spring.
The building was built in 1860 by Rawlins Gould, once assistant to well-known railway architect George Townsend Andrews who also designed the chapel at Bootham Park Hospital and York Lodge, off York Road, in 1869.
As well as having been used for meetings of the York Union, the building has also been a register office and the Conservative Club. It has been substantially upgraded by York Conservation Trust for Visit York.
York Conservation Trust, a registered charity, was founded in 1976. The trust started with only seven properties and now owns and runs 85 buildings comprising 79 residential and 69 commercial lettings.
Philip Thake, chief executive of York Conservation Trust and managing partner of HPH Chartered Accountants, said: “The outstanding attraction of 1 Museum Street is its architecture. It is an absolutely beautiful property in a superb location offering some of the best views of York Minster.
“City of York Council asked York Conservation Trust if we were interested in acquiring the property as it, understandably, no longer wanted the burden of its upkeep. The authority also suggested that the property would make a good headquarters for Visit York.”
Yorkshire Bank North Yorkshire FSC business partner, Jeremy Bowers, said: “York Conservation Trust does outstanding work in preserving key properties in the city and, as a true community bank, we’re pleased to have helped the trust acquire this superb property for the benefit of local people for generations to come.”
