WORKS to restore one of St Helens' most iconic landmark buildings is underway after scaffolding was erected around the Gamble building.
The Star reported in September how a contractor had been appointed to carry out £1.4m of repairs to the Gamble Institute in Victoria Square.
Sections of the building have been closed since 2017 due to structural issues caused by water damage making the lower levels of the building unsafe.
This included the Central Library, which was relocated to the World of Glass in 2020.
Pictures show the landmark surrounded by the scaffolding and hoardings.
The contract – awarded to HH Smith & Sons Co Ltd – will include all repairs and where necessary renewal of the external fabric of the building, including the roof, roof light, chimneys, rainwater goods (gutters), pointing, and windows.
Speaking last month, St Helens Borough Council leader David Baines said: “The Gamble is a beautiful landmark that means a lot to the people of the St Helens.
“With its 125th anniversary taking place this year, there's no better time to start work so that future generations will be able to enjoy it as its intended purpose for years to come.”
Erected in 1896, the Gamble Institute – a gift to the people of St Helens by the first Mayor of St Helens, Sir David Gamble - began life as a library and technical school.
An archive image of the Gamble's foundation stone being laid
In February 2020, the council consulted on what the public and community groups would like to see the Gamble used for in the future, with an overriding desire for a library to return to the building once more.
Specific details of the project and future use are currently being explored, say the council.
A successful Town Deal application for projects in St Helens proposed part of its use as a health innovation hub, while the local authority also recognises the public's desire for the building to once again house a library.
The council said earlier this year that works to restore the Gamble are expected to take around six months to complete.
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