Lady Lever Art Gallery – South Entrance

The Lady Lever Art Gallery recently received £1.2m backing from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to go towards a stunning redisplay of more than 1,500 items of fine and decorative art.

The grant will also go towards returning the galleries in the South End of the Lady Lever to their former Edwardian glory. The restoration encompasses 500 square metres of gallery space – a revamp of more than a quarter of the venue.

JDB Surveying & Architectural was responsible for the design and management of external roofing works which were recently completed as part of a long-term programme. Our brief was to ensure the old building remained water-tight for many decades to come and to increase thermal insulation, which will help to reduce running costs. We also improved natural lighting to the galleries by replacing old and defective roof-lights with new triple glazed, ultra-violet resistant roof-lights which are made from 95% recycled materials.

Photo showing internal protection as roof-lights are replaced

At the outset of the project last year, Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries National Museums Liverpool said: “We are thrilled to be able to take our exciting plans for the future of the Lady Lever Art Gallery forward with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

“2014 marks the centenary of the laying of the foundation stone, so it is especially fitting that 100 years since it began we can continue Lever’s vision for the gallery to inspire a love and understanding of art.

“This level of support from Heritage Lottery Fund not only endorses the local, national and international significance of the Lady Lever’s collections but also means we can approach the project creatively. We are working with our architectural and design team to give the objects the sort of environment they deserve, one which draws out their beauty and cultural value to a modern audience.

“A principal part of Wirral’s heritage, Lady Lever is a fascinating and free place to visit for local people but it also brings many tourists to the area. This project will help ensure the ongoing appeal of this wonderful attraction.”

The HLF grant will also go towards funding new educational programmes and resources for local schools and community groups.

JDB Surveying & Architectural

JDB Director Jon Battle is a Chartered Building Surveyor and has been overseeing the conservation of the Lady Lever roof for the past 4 years. “After completion of the phase 1 works we spent a year monitoring the roof-structure, our tests have shown that the concrete is now much dryer than before we started, which gives the client peace of mind prior to commencing the internal refurbishment works”.

Lady Lever Art Gallery facts:

• On 25 March 1914 King George V laid the foundation stone for what was to become one of the UK’s finest art galleries.
• Lady Lever Art Gallery was opened in 1922 by William Hesketh Lever to house the best of his personal art collection. It’s situated in the centre of Port Sunlight village, Wirral.
• Built by Lever for his workers, the gallery is today considered to hold one of the best fine and decorative arts collections in Europe.

Visit the JDB Twitter and Facebook accounts.

For more information about the restoration project visit the Liverpool Museums website.

Follow the Lady Lever Gallery on social media at @LeverArtGallery or on Facebook.