Last nail in the coffin

Following the withdrawl of funding by Advantage West Midlands for the restoration of the Newnman Brothers coffin works, Nail in the Coffin Works, local conservation trust Birmingham Conservation Trust has bought the works, Historic Newman Brothers coffin works in Birmingham bought by Trust.

The plans originally saw it transform the three story grade II* listed building into workspace for artists and a visitor attraction recreating the former workshops. The factory, built in 1894, made coffin fistting for Winston Churchill and Princess Diana.

The purchase was secured with £150,000 from the City Council and has received £200,000 from Engish Heritage while a bid has also been made for £500,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The light touch restoration is due to begin next year with the 'interim' works aimed only to bring the building back into use.

The trust’s director Elizabeth Perkins said it could be four years before a full programme of works could be paid for and until then the site would only open for events such as this weekend’s National Heritage Open Days.

Once complete it should bring the building back into use by the end of next year when the trust, which was involved in conserving Birmingham’s last surviving courtyard of back-to-backs, plans to move in. http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2010/09/09/historic-newman-brothers-coffin-works-in-birmingham-bought-by-trust-65233-27237402/

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