Shibden Hall: Makeover planned for iconic Halifax hall that inspired Sally Wainwright's Gentleman Jack including improvements to cafe

If listed building consent for the work at Shibden Hall is granted, it will see the ground floor cafe seating area refurbished and improvements to the first floor education room, staff toilets, staff storeroom and adjoining spaces.

Refurbishment will be primarily superficial and involve decorative works, says the council.

The changes will also allow for better fire safety, while avoiding harming or detracting from the historic setting.

The BBC show Gentleman Jack – written by Calderdale’s own Sally Wainwright – was based on the diaries of former hall owner Anne Lister.

Suranne Jones played the Halifax heroine and the show was filmed at the hall, and ran for two series.

The ground floor cafe seating area work will involve replastering and decoration. This will be lime-based to provide a traditional finish in keeping with the building’s heritage.

New 30-minute fire compliant four-panelled doors will match existing ones, with glazing where required under building regulations.

On the first floor, the education room will also be redecorated, including a replaced lime-based ceiling finish.

A new staff-and-visitor kitchenette will be installed, along with replacement doors, and a fire separation lobby will be incorporated to increase safety.

The staff toilets will also be decorated.

The council’s heritage statement supporting the application – number 23/00843/LBC and which can be viewed on the council’s planning portal – says: “The proposals as outlined above we do not feel will affect the character and heritage of the building.”