Michael Guy could write “Sustainability” at the top of his inbox.
Michael is Chief Executive of Heritage Trust for the North West, the leading and largest
historic building preservation trust in the region.
The Trust owns more than 20 historic buildings and sustainability is the number one priority
to meet his, and the Trust’s, ambitions of taking on more sites.
Financial and environmental sustainability, together with support from the community, are at
the forefront of efforts to ensure heritage sites become self-sufficient so they can be
enjoyed by this, and future, generations.
Once that autonomy on existing sites is achieved, the Trust can take on, and breathe new
life into, even more historic buildings across the region.
“The only limit on our ambition is time and money. We want to save more places and make
the ones we have even better,” said Michael.
Based at Barrowford, near Nelson and operating predominantly across Lancashire, but also
into Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, and Cumbria, Heritage Trust for the North
West has been saving, conserving and restoring buildings since 1978.
Today the charity’s priority is to revitalise heritage properties which were once at risk and to
share them with communities.
Michael spends his working week between properties, including one of the charity’s flagship
sites – Lytham Hall in Lancashire, a Grade I Georgian listed building which was home to the
Clifton family for four centuries.
“The success of a place like Lytham Hall is down to the support of the community and
funders, as well as the incredible hard work of our wonderful staff and volunteers,” said
Michael.
On a sunny summer’s day, the hall is abuzz with visitors to its café and garden centre,
many also enjoying the walks within the 78-acres of parkland and tours of the hall itself.
Across all the Trust’s sites, Michael’s message is: “Come and use our buildings. We have
spaces to rent in some of our mills as well as function rooms to hire, wedding venues and
prom venues. When you hold your function at a heritage site, it’s your way of contributing
and supporting a charity. As a Trust, every penny is put into improving heritage across the
North West.”
That multi-use approach is key to the endurance of heritage sites. Lytham Hall hosts
everything from art gallery exhibitions to theatre productions, family events to business
networking.
“We have to ensure there are multiple reasons for people to come here,” said Michael.
The hall is set to double its holiday accommodation. It already has one holiday cottage in
the gatehouse and is set to open another in the autumn with the conversion of its
Gardener’s Cottage.
“Imagine staying on a site like this and having the place to yourself in the evening when all
the other visitors have gone home,” said Michael.
There are other additions on their way too.
“We are planning on turning the Woodshed into a Visitor Centre and there will be an
additional overflow car park with ponds and wildlife areas. Longer term, we want to convert
the Stable Yard, but that needs a lot of funding.
“Our organisation obtains grant funding through organisations such as the National Lottery
Heritage Fund and Historic England.”
The task for Michael and his team is always balancing restoring the past with reimagining
the future, giving new energy to buildings while retaining their integrity; changing exhibitions
and attractions frequently enough for the local community to return again and again, but not
so often that those travelling from far and wide will miss the core offering, and doing all this
while balancing the books.
“A place like Lytham Hall needs constant care, preservation and reimagining. That is not
always easy. There’s the planning system and finances are always an issue.
“We need to be financially resilient and environmentally sustainable.
“With heritage across the board – the longer anything is left in disrepair the more it is going
to cost to restore. It is true that a stitch in time saves nine.
“We need to improve our energy efficiency and make sure that our bills come down. We are
hoping to install loft insulation soon and solar panels are being finished in September.
“There are ways of working smartly as well, such as repairing the roof while doing the solar
panels, to keep the buildings we have in the best condition, while also making
improvements.
“Like any business we have issues which come along such as increased energy bills and
National Insurance contributions – but we are overcoming those challenges step by step.”
Lytham Hall’s army of 370 volunteers keep many of the hall’s costs down by helping with
everything from visitor tours to repair works.
Michael said: “We are proud to work with hundreds of active volunteers in the field of
conservation and restoration.
“Every volunteer is part of something special here – while at the same time making friends
and enjoying being part of the team
“They are learning new skills, individually or in teams, while at the same time learning
something more about the history of where they live.”
When it comes to paid work needed on the site, Michael and his team use local employers
wherever possible to ensure maximum economic benefit to the community.
From garden business owner Greg Anderton, who passionately and proudly runs the Leafy
Lytham Garden Hub at the Hall, to using expert local business accountants Brown & Co,
Michael is proud of the business eco-system which builds up around a historic site like
Lytham Hall and the benefits that brings across the community.
In turn the Hall, which won a Best Restoration Award in 2022, brings people to the area to
spend time and money at the Hall’s café, gardens, and attractions.
“People come from far and wide to enjoy everything Lytham Hall has to offer,” says Michael,
who is keen to stress the wider benefits for people spending quality time at heritage sites.
“There’s a real value that heritage has on well-being and mental health. It is something we
take for granted.
“Historic buildings are part of our townscapes, our countryside and our lives. They are part
of the backdrop of living in Britain, or Lancashire, or, in this case, Lytham. People take great
pride in that.
“If you are from Lytham you identify with Lytham Hall and the Windmill. It’s part of your
shared identity.”
Heritage Trust for the North West operates twelve independent heritage properties and
sites across the region.
From its origins at Parkhill Barn/Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford, to the Georgian
Mansion House and Estate of Lytham Hall, to industrial terraced houses and grand
Victorian mills.
Its most recent restoration concluded in 2022 with the opening of Prospect Tower at Bank
Hall, Bretherton, near Chorley.
A full restoration began in 2017 with support from Friends of Bank Hall, National Lottery
Heritage Fund and property developers Next Big Thing Developments.
For more information visit https://heritagetrustnorthwest.uk/