Stone Arches for the Car Park

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Stone Arches for the Car Park - 1998

Lord Street in May 1964. Behind the Almondbury trolleybus is the Yorkshire Traction bus company's enquiry and booking offices, where Donald Mettrick was long-time manager. The block was destroyed by fire in about 1977. Trolleybuses operated along Lord Street only from January 1963 to July 1965.

Saturday 24th January 1981

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Huddersfield nightclub owner Johnny Marsden has become one of the town’s arch conservationists.
Mr. Marsden has bought five arches from the frontage of a building currently being demolished in Lord Street.

He said the building which was gutted by fire had a similar frontage to two others in Lord Street and he wanted to keep the arches so that if Kirklees Council wanted they could use them again.
And although he has no idea what he wants to do with them he is determined that they should remain in the Huddersfield town.

Each of the arches cost £200, and Mr. Marsden is seen with architect Anthony Dann and demolition boss Dave Smith.

Below is pictured Pete Norman affectionally known as "OOH ARR!" supervising two of the stone door tops from the building destroyed by fire, to their new home at the Huddersfield Hotel and Rosemary Lane Bistro.
They were transported on an old sack cart in separate pieces.

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December 1998

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Exciting episode in the arches saga
OLD stone arches, from a demolished Lord Street building, have been given a new home – just a stone’s throw away.

Huddersfield nightclub owners Johnny and Joe Marsden bought 13 stone arches in 1981, after the doomed building they came from was gutted by fire.
They cost £200 each, and the pair – who had no idea what to do with them at the time - put them into storage.

Two have already been recycled to become fireplaces in the brothers' Huddersfield Hotel complex at Beast Market.Now eight are in place, brightening up a plain wall on one side of a new 52-space car park, off Lord Street.

The car park is part of the brothers’ latest project, a 14-bedroom Hotel, set to open in January.
The Hotel was a derelict former guesthouse, Indian takeaway and taxi office when the brothers bought it two years ago.

Hotel guests will be able to cross to the main hotel complex to use the bars, lounge, restaurant, and other facilities.Joe Marsden said: “These arches weigh a ton and a half each, and they date back to pre-1900. “They look nice against this wall. We’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to use them – and we still have three to place”

Building contractor Jim Collins, who is completing work on the car park that incorporates the arches, is seen with brothers Joe and Johnny Marsden.