Restoration work starts at Dudley glass cone following £1.5 million investment
A Grade II listed building in Dudley is to be "restored to its former glory" as an 18-month restoration project gets underway thanks to a £1.5 million investment.
Work will start at Wordsley's historic Red House Glass Cone this week following the funding boost from Dudley Council.
The historical building has operated for more than 150 years, having been built in the period between 1788 and 1794, and is one of four surviving glass cones in the UK.
The improvements that will be made to the cone – which is around 100 feet high – include the internal and external re-pointing of its entire structure using authentic lime mortar.
It will also see the building made more accessible to visitors, with the internal gantry and lift inside the cone removed to create an open space.
A new lift will instead be installed near to the visitor centre in order to allow wheelchair access to the upper level of the building, where a viewing platform will allow people to see inside the cone and see the hot glass studio, which is also on site.
The hot glass studio – which will remain open to the public while work is ongoing – will also be made more "visitor friendly" and will see improvements made such as the installation of a more eco-friendly glass kiln.
Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said: "We know that people feel very passionately about the cone and it's such an iconic part of the skyline. It's a striking backdrop to people's everyday lives as they walk to school, take the dog for a walk or just stroll along the canal.
"We're so pleased to be delivering this ambitious project and restore the cone to its former glory.
"People will see fencing and scaffolding going up over the coming weeks and months but we are very much still open for business and hope to see lots of children and families heading our way over the summer break."
Other improvements that will be made to the site include the installation of a new drainage system and access to the tunnels opened up.
Vegetation sprouting from the cone will also be gradually removed, with bricks surrounding any root growth to be replaced and re-mortared.
The shop, visitor centre, coffee house and craft studios which can be found at the site will remain open while the work gets underway.
