Devonport Market Hall & Tower is restored thanks to £500,000 from Redrow

Redrow is funding the restoration of the Devonport Market Hall and Clock Tower in the hope that arresting the decay to this historic building will prevent any further deterioration and secure its future for the local community.

Work commenced in 2007/8 on making the hall and tower water tight and secure, with completion later this year. The total cost of the restoration is approximately £500,000.

Work is already well underway on the Market Hall; scaffold has been erected within the tower to take the weight of the roof due to a damaged cast iron column. A timber framework has been put up to support the sagging north glazed window sections and been clad with Perspex to make it weather tight. The south glazed window sections have also been clad and roof sheets replaced on the lean-to roof. Scaffolding has also been erected externally to carry out the necessary repairs to the roof, gutters have been cleaned out and a temporary rain water pipe has been installed where the existing ones were broken.

Similarly, much has already been done to the Clock Tower. The Tower has been fully scaffolded to give access for repairs to the lead roof, refurbishment of the weathervane and the removal of the bells due to the original support steelwork being badly corroded. The stonework corbelling that was initially dislodged due to bomb damage during the war has been pinned back and made safe, the lightening conductor has been reinstated and upgraded, the clock mechanism removed to a workshop for overhaul, the electric supply replaced and upgraded and netting erected to keep out the pigeons.

Keith Miller, Commercial Director for Redrow (South West) said: “The works have been carried out by specialist contractors who have done a great job of stopping the building from deteriorating. They have replaced damaged stones, leadwork, roof sheets, rotten roof timbers, glazed window sections and rain water pipes, repointing works and generally made the building watertight and secure.

“The final phase of restoration will be the repositioning of the bells and the clock mechanism following refurbishment. We hope that an end use will be found for this iconic building, perhaps as a community resource.”