A part of Holmfirth’s heritage could be brought back into use.

A plan bring the former Bamforths Warehouse in Holmfirth back into use has been unveiled.

Peter Carr, who owns The Picturedrome, has applied for planning consent to regenerate the Station Road, Holmfirth building with a mixed-use bid of retail, officers and apartments.

Described as a “significant heritage asset” from 1870 it was used by James Bamforth of Bamforth &Co as a studio for his art work.

It was home to much of the work produced by the Bamforth studio until it closed down in 1988 and has been vacant and run-down since.

The art work, of course, included classic Bamforth postcards - many of them featuring buxom blondes and henpecked husbands.

Bamforths saucy postcards
Bamforths saucy postcards

They became a staple of British seaside resorts for generations.

The firm has now been taken over by Ian Wallace, who has relaunched the postcards for a new audience.

The planning application submitted by Mr Carr says: “The premises, deserted for 27 years, are in an advanced state of decay and desperately in need of a sympathetic but modern, 21st century standard of development that will return them to a viable economic use which would help to preserve and enhance the character of the Conservation Area and the now vibrant town of Holmfirth.”

Interior of Bamforths Warehouse, Station Road, Holmfirth

Those plans would see the ground and first floors used as retail and office space.

Levels three, four and five would become residential with balconies added.

The roof would be refurbished plus some of the external walls will be rendered.

Bamforth and Co was set up in 1870 when James Bamforth started working as a portrait photographer.

By 1883 the company began the production of magic lantern slides with demand leading to an extension of the factory.

In two brief periods of film-making activity, 1898-1900 and 1913-1915, Bamforth & Co was responsible for producing a historically significant collection of films and, as a result, in 1913 the Holmfirth studio was further extended.

At the same time, the firm began producing the iconic postcards, including the saucy seaside images, which were exported worldwide and made the Bamforth name famous worldwide.

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