Lower Hillgate

A dilapidated 19th-century end-of-terrace building, which was once a dairy shop, sat on a busy pedestrian street in Stockport’s Underbanks Conservation Area, part of the wider “Rediscovering the Underbanks” regeneration initiative. The brief was to bring the building back into use as a hair salon with a speakeasy-style bar above, while respecting a structure whose condition, and history, weren’t fully known until we got inside. 

We started with detailed condition surveys and 3D modelling, so the structural issues that come with buildings this old didn’t become surprises halfway through construction. Extensive structural and fabric repairs stabilised the building and the vaulted timber roof and exposed ceilings were carefully refurbished rather than replaced, keeping the character of the building intact while making it fit for modern use. 

Working alongside Kelsall Architects, Aura Heritage and the local Conservation Officer, every intervention was reviewed against conservation standards; balancing what the building needed structurally with what needed to be preserved. The project was funded in part by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which meant the bar for “done properly” was high throughout. 

Now, a previously neglected building on one of Stockport’s most-walked streets is back in use. A historically accurate shopfront, restored sash windows, lime-pointed masonry and timber structures have all been reinstated to create a building that keeps its heritage and brings it into the modern era.