Historic building reopens as pop-up exhibition space

1 hour ago

Lee BottomleyHanley

News image — Andrew Emery, CEO of Re-Form Heritage outside One Bethesda, Hanley

BBC A man in an open necked shirt leans against a stone pillar, in front of a wooden door with peeling paint. The man has his arms crossed and is smiling — Andrew Emery, CEO of Re-Form Heritage outside One Bethesda, Hanley

A Grade II-listed building that has been shut for almost 20 years has been partially re-opened as a temporary exhibition space while longer term plans for the site are worked on.

The property, in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, was originally home to Staffordshire Potteries Water Board and Potteries Central Savings Bank, and its last use was as a bar and restaurant.

Known as One Bethesda, building restoration charity Re-Form Heritage, which runs Middleport Pottery, is working with its owner on future possible uses.

In the short term, it is hosting pop-up exhibitions, beginning with artwork produced by students from Pinc College, which runs creative study programmes for neurodivergent young people.

A large two storey red brick building, with arched window frames. There are people stood outside the main entrance — The listed building is on the corner of Bethesda Street and Albion Street, Hanley

Re-Form Heritage boss Andrew Emery, said they wanted to reintroduce people to the space, and get the building, which has been shut since 2008, "back on the map".

Although it would take time to prepare detailed investment plans to fully bring it back to life, this was an exciting first step, he said.

Re-Form Heritage is also refurbishing Bethesda Chapel next door, which is known as the "cathedral of the Potteries", and Pinc College is set to be its anchor tenant.

A woman wearing glasses, with her hair in a ponytail over her shoulder, smiles at the camera. She has a yellow lanyard around her neck and is front of blue and white artwork of buildings — Rachel Newman, from Pinc College, said it was amazing to have an impact on a heritage building that had been closed for so long

Rachel Newman, chief impact and compliance officer for Pinc Education Group, said being able to make use of the Hanley buildings had a very special meaning to her, as she grew up in Stoke-on-Trent.

"Our vision is to open our local assets and heritage to the young people in their communities, and give them hope and aspirations to achieve in life," she said.

Seeing student's artwork on display in One Bethesda was "probably one of my proudest moments in education and working in Pinc," said Newman.

The college began in Macclesfield in 2015, with the aim of giving neurodivergent young people, who were not engaged in mainstream education, access to art.

It now has 16 campuses across the country.

The Stoke-on-Trent college opened in 2022 and has a base at Middleport Pottery. It is due to move into studio space at Bethesda Chapel in September.