51 Fleetgate is often regarded as Barton’s oldest residential building.
No. 51 was leased to CHAMP by the Council in 2009. CHAMP in turn formed an agreement with the Civic Society, who had previously used the building while it was leased by the Barton Regeneration Fund and housed a number of offices. This allowed the Civic Society to use the buildings on agreed days.
Due to CHAMP concerns over the safety of the historic posters on the shop ceiling, the Civic Society moved out in 2015 to allow conservation work. 51 Fleetgate is now empty and has had a thorough spring clean! CHAMP and North Lincolnshire Council are working together for a further project to address restoration needs, such as that of the historic posters and wallpapers in the building, and to carry out further research into the history of the house. CHAMP intends to then open the building to the public again with new interpretation and displays.
The building assessment and fundraising processes can take a long time. For this reason, the house will remain closed until further notice to safeguard it for future generations.
If wishing to know more about the ongoing work, or if wishing to help fund this important project, please do feel free to get in touch at info@champltd.org.