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Facelift for St Mary in the Castle shops

Hastings Borough Council is proposing to remove the modern shopfronts of the shops in Pelham Place in front of St Mary in the Castle and replace them with traditional timber shopfronts and rusticated arches to  replicate 19th century detailing.  The work would also include restoring the roof lantern and replacing modern roof coverings  with zinc and glass, all with the help of a English Heritage grant and a Council subsidy, writes Christopher Cormack.

There would be new hanging signs and other improvements to reflect Pelham Arcade’s traditional 19th century appearance. Pelham Arcade was originally divided into a number of small retail units facing inwards on either side of an internal walkway with a large roof lantern covering an internal central walkway.  The walkway received natural light through a high glass ceiling, a “roof lantern” and from windows set high on the arcade’s southern frontage. It was deemed fashionable in Georgian times for well-to-do people to “promenade” the covered Arcade in times of inclement weather.  The shops at that time would have no doubt been there to serve a wealthy clientele, in contrast to the situation today.

Pelham Arcade, developed as the first part of the Pelham scheme by Joseph Kay in 1823-5, post-dated Burlington Arcade, the first shopping arcade of its kind in London’s Piccadilly, by only a few years, the latter having been unveiled to great acclaim in 1819.  The glass roofs were for the time a fascinating innovation.

Later in the 19th century, units were merged across the central walkway and  shopfronts were formed facing directly onto the seafront.  The Council takes the view that the unsympathetic alterations over a number of years have lead to an “erosion of the Arcade’s historic character and appearance” with varying shopfront designs, some of which have fallen into a state of disrepair over a prolonged period of time.

The frontage should display a regular pattern of full height arch headed openings along the Arcade.  The two exceptions are units 12a and  12b at the western end of the Arcade, whose Gothic arches are to be restored, helping  to show how the Arcade evolved over time.  The exteriors should be rusticated to create the illusion of stonework. The work on the arcade is expected to “enhance the setting of Pelham Crescent and St Mary in the Castle as well as the wider Conservation Area”, but allow the existing units to continue in their present  functions.


English Heritage has put the Grade II listed buildings of Pelham Place on its ‘At Risk’ register – priority category A (“Condition poor”), stating that “poor drainage from the carriage drive above the Arcade and structural failures in its formerly glazed lantern have resulted in problems of damp, particularly to the rear.”  It only needs a glance at a present day photograph to acknowledge that Grade II listed buildings should not look like this.

English Heritage disposes of grant funds towards restoration of the Arcade unit by unit,  that could total nearly £200,000 for work that could cost more than twice that amount.   The Council may top up grants with further sums.  However the shop leaseholders  will need to take advantage of these awards very soon as it is well known that budgetary constraints could prevent the scheme from being open-ended.

The Council has applied for an English Heritage grant for repair of its own property at 6–8 Pelham Arcade and work on the western end of the lantern should proceed apace for early completion. Also there is a prospect of a new winebar opening in refurbished vaults which were constructed under the arcade during the 19th century. The entrance would be to the left of Unit 12a. Negotiations continue with other Arcade property owners to encourage grant funded repairs.

Visit the planning website here.

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Posted 07:41 Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012 In: Home Ground

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