Our seasoned property professionals understand that heritage restoration isn’t just a maintenance task – it’s a responsibility to preserve the history and character of a building. We recently demonstrated this commitment with the completion of an intricate painting job at 14 Pride Hill in Shrewsbury.
Our Estates team appointed specialists SP&D Contractors to undertake the works on the external walls of 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors of the busy retail unit. Far from a simple lick of paint, the project required meticulous attention to detail to ensure the building’s historic character was respected and preserved for future generations.
The building’s status as a ‘Listed Building’ within a Conservation Area meant that the team had to ensure that every paint colour used was fully compliant with its Listed Building Status. This dedication to authenticity led to the use of 32 different paint colours from the approved colour chart which specified multiple palettes for different sections.
The detailed work included a main background colour for the window mullions, earthy tones for the delicate leaf pattern and Cornish cream for the vines. To ensure the highest quality and compliance with the Listed Building status, the specialist contractor exclusively used products from Akzo Nobel Coatings Ltd, based in Didcot, Oxfordshire. This selection ensured that the paints used would meet the longevity and finish standards appropriate for a building of this heritage and importance.
The refresh builds upon a strong history of conservation at 14 Pride Hill. During the initial restoration in 2004, skilled craftsmen stripped back numerous layers of paint to reveal forgotten details beneath, including cast-iron details of Bacchus, vines, and grapes – a true testament to the building’s original design and craftsmanship, a colourful history that we’re still investigating.
This earlier restoration effort was so successful in revealing and preserving the building’s heritage that it was honoured with a prestigious Shrewsbury Civic Society Award, cementing the site’s importance within the towns and demonstrating Morris Property’s long-standing dedication to heritage restoration work.
This two-part history – the award-winning revelation of 2004 and the recent refresh – underscores the vital importance of ongoing restoration for commercial property owners in historic towns. For our Estates team, these projects are more than just property maintenance in the portfolio; they are an investment in the unique character of Shrewsbury.
Find out more about our heritage and restoration works here.
With our property journey beginning in 1869 in Shrewsbury, it’s no surprise that we’re passionate about preserving the architectural heritage of the towns historic buildings that have been weaved into our own history.
