Regeneration scheme begins on historic former factory in Glastonbury
The Baily’s Buildings were a major employer in the town until their closure in the 1980s
An historic former factory in Glastonbury will be getting a new lease of life as the main phase of a £6.3m regeneration scheme begins.
Glastonbury was one of 101 towns across the UK – and one of only two in Somerset – which has received funding from the government’s towns fund, with £23.6m being provided for projects designed to enhance the town centre and improve the town’s fortunes.
The Beckery Island Regeneration Trust secured planning permission from Somerset Council in December 2023 to regenerate the Baily’s Buildings on Beckery Old Road, delivering new commercial space for local businesses and start-ups.
After the completion of enabling works on the grade two listed site, the main regeneration programme will be getting under way by the end of February, funded by £6.3m from the remaining town deal grants.
The Baily’s Buildings were a major employer in the town until their closure in the 1980s, manufacturing a range of sporting goods – including boxing gloves worn by Henry Cooper, Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson.
The two buildings – dubbed Baily’s East and Baily’s West – will be re-purposed into a sustainable hub for local start-ups as well as small and growing businesses.
On the ground floor of Baily’s West (the former tannery and rug factory), a café will be included with toilets and possibly a small museum commemorating the town’s industrial heritage.
Numerous different office and workshop spaces will be created across all three floors of both buildings, with outdoor covered space being provided on Beckery Old road itself to allow events to be staged.
Baily’s East (the old glove factory and engine house) will also include a “media studio” for lectures and performances.
A new car park will be created on vacant land at the western end of Beckery Old Road, with a new bridge over the existing stream and improvements being made to the existing cycle route which runs through the site.
As much of the existing fabric and character of the buildings will be retained as humanly possible, with additional being made to reduce energy costs and making them more environmentally friendly.
Enabling works on the building were only able to get under way in the late-summer of 2024, with planning consent being signed off in April and a bat licence being granted around the time of the general election in July.
These works included the establishment of temporary bat roosts, emergency repair works to the chimney, removal of asbestos removal and supports being installed to stabilise the existing structures.
Work on Baily West will begin by late-February, with the entire project expected to be completed by late-March 2026 – the deadline for all projects associated with the Glastonbury town deal.
Ian Tucker, chairman of the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust, said: “The regeneration of the Morland’s and Baily’s tanneries and factories is something this community has been working towards for more than 20 years. Now that transformation is finally happening.
“Over the coming weeks, people in the town will see scaffolding going up and construction works getting under way as our vision for a vibrant, sustainable hub of business, creativity and learning moves closer to becoming a reality.
“This is such an exciting time as we start to see real progress being made towards bringing these historic industrial buildings back into use for the benefit of the local community, creating employment, growth and new opportunities for Glastonbury.”
The trust has been working to protect and regenerate the historic buildings since 2011, seeking to provide a focal point for educational activities, business and community groups while protecting the site’s industrial heritage.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, chair of the Glastonbury town deal board, said: “We celebrate this flagship renovation as one of several examples of the transformation that this funding is delivering for the local community and our local economy.
“The synergy of the different Glastonbury town deal projects, as well as their individual contribution, is powerful testament to the hard work taking place and the many benefits being brought to our town.”
Work is proceeding at pace on numerous other projects within the Glastonbury town deal, with the refurbishment of the Tor Sports and Leisure centre off the A361 Street Road being recently completed and improvements continuing at the entrance to the town’s abbey.
Of the 11 projects which were originally identified for government funding, ten will be carried forward to completion – with the proposed Glastonbury enterprise and innovation hub on Beckery Road being scrapped in June 2024 due to rising costs.
For more information on the Baily’s Building project, visit www.beckeryislandregenerationtrust.co.uk. For more details on the Glastonbury town deal, visit www.glastonburytowndeal.co.uk.