Completion for Worswick Chambers restoration
A project team led by Avison Young and Ryder Architecture has handed over for fitout, following the refurbishment and extension of the grade two-listed Newcastle building and the neighbouring 93-101 Pilgrim Street.
The project team on what is a key part of the Pilgrim Street masterplan also includes Avison Young, SHED Engineers, OOBE Landscape Architects, and contractor Bowmer + Kirkland.
Tenant fitout will now start as the spaces are transformed into a contemporary leisure space operated by STACK. The building neighbours the new-build office building Bank House, which has scooped up most of the city’s grade A requirements over the last 18 months.
A set of townhouses, 93-101 Pilgrim Street, was constructed in the 18th century, while Worswick Chambers, built in the late 19th century, served as an auction hall and offices.
Works as part of the restoration included asbestos removal, structural stabilisation, the complete replacement of floors and roofs, detailed restoration of facades, damp treatment to bring basements back into use, and the refurbishment of historic windows, staircases and cornices.
Ryder’s design work includes bespoke design of shopfronts, which have been developed with a joinery specialist and Newcastle City Council planning and heritage officers. The grand auction hall balcony and staircases, a key feature of the building, have undergone precise removal and reconstruction using digital scans to recreate missing intricate metalwork.
A modern extension incorporates steel framing, shipping containers, and aluminium cladding, creating open air terraces and a new courtyard, which will host music and entertainment.
Associate and project architect at Ryder, Alex Blaylock, said: “Completing the project required passion and commitment from the design and construction team. The nature of the project meant we started with many unknowns, and the building’s condition was far worse than it initially appeared.
“Despite these challenges, the scheme has been transformational for Pilgrim Street. We’re proud to see Worswick Chambers beautifully and sensitively restored, and now standing as a landmark that can be enjoyed by the entire city for many years to come.”
The wider Pilgrim Street regeneration project includes Bank House, and the ongoing Pilgrim’s Quarter development – which will be home to more than 9,000 HMRC employees – and the Gotham Newcastle hotel, a boutique redevelopment of former police and fire stations, all designed by Ryder, the studio founded in the city in 1953.
Bowmer + Kirkland has been the job’s main contractor. Credit: Simon Williams
Ian Crow, partner and project director at Ryder, commented: “Worswick Chambers not only preserves an important piece of Newcastle’s architectural history but also forms a critical part of a broader masterplan, breathing new life into the city centre, creating jobs and adding to the city’s flourishing streetscape.
“One of the project’s greatest successes has been re establishing Pilgrim Street’s strong connection between place and people whilst retaining its distinct heritage.”
Roger Thornton, head of property at developer Motcomb Estates, added: “The team at Ryder showed experience and good judgement in balancing the masterplan vision, the ambitious tenant requirements and the detailed heritage and conservation needs of the local authority. The building is a credit to the project team and will bring diversity and new life to the wider Pilgrim Street development.”
The final stage of the repurposed Worswick Chambers is set to commence this month, with the new leisure complex planned to open its doors in spring 2025.
Neil Mandle, project manager and director at Avison Young, stated: “From a technical perspective this was a very challenging project, balancing the design and conservation demands of a listed building while integrating a modern extension and materials alongside the traditional forms of construction.”
