Cassidy + Ashton designs new home in listed building for major Blackpool dental practice
A locally listed former Victorian hotel and public house in Blackpool’s town centre has been given a new lease of life as a dental practice designed by Cassidy + Ashton architects.
Located on King Street, Veevers Arms Hotel, (more recently known as The Hop Inn), has been retained and converted into a dental surgery to house King Street Dental Surgery.
As part of the council’s plans for the wider development of the new civil service hub, the surgery’s former premises was faced with compulsory purchase by Blackpool Council. By offering to rehouse the practice in the former Victorian hotel enabled it to relocate without leaving its local area.
Cassidy + Ashton was appointed by the Eric Wright Group – the main contractor on the project – to provide the initial designs and concepts for the refurbishment of the listed building to convert it into a dental surgery. Our technical design team then followed through with the detailed design work included overseeing the completion of the project onsite.
Our building surveying team also provided the structural and condition surveys prior to work commencing onsite and Cassidy + Ashton’s Preston planning team was involved in submitting the planning applications to seek approval of the refurbishment and change of use.
Built in 1870 and originally named after Richard Veevers, a land agent from Preston, the locally listed hotel on King Street required almost a full reconstruction to accommodate the new dental practice. Its local heritage status meant the retention of its three-storey three-sided Victorian façades that include many original carved stone flourishes and decoration.
Restoration and cleaning of painted stonework and repairs to the upper-level brickwork was carried out. A combination of repair, retain, and restore of the façade then ensued to bring it back to life.
A three-storey extension was built on the back of the retained facades. The remaining building was then completely gutted to create the new surgery layout to house 14 treatments rooms over three floors, plus reception and waiting areas as well as amenities and storage space.
Technical associate at Cassidy + Ashton, Jon Bailey, who was closely involved in the project said: “Despite our grand vision for the new location for the dental surgery, we were faced with many challenges when work commenced onsite. The former hotel was in complete disrepair, with no option but to replace most of the interior by installing a new structural steel frame, walls and cassette timber floors.
“All the original wooden windows, which were rotten beyond the point of repair, were replaced with new timber windows to match the existing heritage design.”
Each of the 14 treatment rooms in the new building is fitted with mechanical supply and extract systems to provide purge ventilation between each patient visit. The vents have been integrated into the replacement windows.
Careful consideration was also made by the Cassidy + Ashton design team to ensure the new layout provided the surgery with the most effective use of the space available over three floors.
Jon added: “This was a significant heritage project for Cassidy + Ashton, with all our practice’s disciplines involved. With extensive experience within the heritage sector, our team undertook a sympathetic approach to preserve the building’s Victorian charm yet return it to the community with a new and valuable purpose.
“The dental surgery, one of the largest in Blackpool, can now continue to serve its local community while managing to remain in the King Street area.”
