Somerset craftspeople and contractors are breathing new life into an iconic slice of the county's industrial heritage, with the help of a central government grant.

The Baily's Buildings, on Beckery Old Road in Glastonbury, served as one of the town's main employers until its closure in the 1980s.

Originally operating as a tannery, glove and rug manufacturer in the 1800s, the buildings later specialised in creating sporting goods – including boxing gloves worn by Henry Cooper, Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson.

Now, thanks to £6.3m from the government-funded Glastonbury town deal, the western building is being transformed to create new bespoke commercial units.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service was given a behind the scenes tour of the construction site by the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust (BIRT – which looks after the two buildings) and the Dowlas Property Group.

BIRT trustee Paul Manning said: "The trust was basically set up to bring these buildings back into economic use again and create employment for the town. We got some money from the government's towns fund, and we're in the middle of serious work to get this building back up and working again."

Beard regional director Matt Cooper said: "These buildings are such an important part of Glastonbury's history. It's a privilege for us to be part of their transformation. Our initial focus is on ensuring the structures are safe and sound, laying a strong foundation for what will become a major asset to the community.

"I know how much work has gone into getting the project to this stage. As a business with a track record of supporting similar projects in Somerset, we're very proud to support the transformation of this iconic space."

While Beard Construction is leading the building effort, the Cheddar-based Dowlas Property Group has been managing the project, working closely with local contractors to ensure the work is delivered on time and on budget – which is no easy task given the scale and age of the building.

Dowlas project manager Matt Tyler said: "We've been involved in the project for more than two-and-a-half years.

"We love the buildings, and we could see the level of work that needed to be done, which is very extensive. It was about assembling the right team of contractors with the passion for delivering the job."

Project manager Gemma Day added: "There's numerous contractors on site which are based in Glastonbury, Somerton, Mark and Weston-super-Mare. Having local contractors is a real driver to this project, because it benefits the local economy."

When complete, the transformed buildings will host a sustainable hub for local start-ups, small and growing businesses, as well as a range of spaces for community use.

Rather than stretch the government funding over the entire project and leave the building empty until its completion, the work is being completed incrementally, allowing each individual unit to be extensively marketed as its construction moves forward.

With each new section that is finished and let, rental income can be recirculated back into the building.

Mr Manning said: "In Building H, one of the first to be renovated, we'll have a local company soon moving in to the top two floors, and then the ground floor will be available to similar uses.

Mr Tyler added: "This building is a key example of us trying to keep the heritage of the area. We've reinforced the original roof trusses, reused the slates that were originally on the building and all the windows have been restored.

"It's all about keeping the fabric of the building, but at the same time upgrading the internal aspect to make sure it's sustainable."

Wherever possible, the original building materials have been cleaned and reused – including large numbers of bricks which were created within the town, cutting down the cost of importing materials and reducing lorry journeys on the town's narrow roads.

Mr Tyler said: "You need great craftsmen, because they need to work with old materials – no two bricks are the same size. We had to rebuild a whole wall after parts of it fell down over the last few winters.

"We wanted to make sure that the building was accessible for everyone in the town and further beyond. Putting a new lift in was one of our first pieces of work."

Mr Manning added: "This was a very vulnerable building, and over time it was gradually deteriorating – it was really in a very poor state. This is the biggest project within the Glastonbury town deal."

One of the most intricate parts of the site surrounds the former drying sheds, which would have been used to dry leather and sheepskin at the height of the tannery's operation.

The structure is believed to be one of the last of its kind in Britain – with Dowlas pushing for Historic England to reassess its status and allow preservation work to move forward.

Ms Day said: "We're currently campaigning for Historic England to come and take another look. If they reassess the importance of the structure, we can hopefully attract funding for the future phases of the work.

"Without the work we've done so far to protect it, this building would just have been lost. There's elements of it which have fallen down while we've been undertaking the work we're doing now, but hopefully we can keep what's left intact long enough to attract the funding we need to rejuvenate it."

The first phase of the Baily's Buildings project is expected to reach its conclusion in 2026 – but the benefits of the work being done will be felt in and around the town for years or even decades to come.

Mr Manning said: "This is going to make a huge difference to the town. Ultimately, we could have several hundred people working here again. We'll be creating jobs, but also creating a nice environment – it's a really beautiful area to come and visit.

"It's going to be a superb place, and some of the features we're putting in will get a lot of people coming along – there's lots of lessons that can be learned for other projects."

Mr Tyler added: "I think it will bring industry back to the town. This was a very important site for a lot of people in Glastonbury, who have all got stories about somebody who worked here. To bring this building back will be fantastic. It's industry-leading."

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