Barry: Prison: Would it be a good use?

Nov 25 2009 by Barry Gibson

I MET the culture minister Ben Bradshaw when he was in Huddersfield last week.

The Exeter MP was given a tour of the Media Centre at Northumberland Street, speaking to the small businesses that operate there.

At one point he stopped at an upper floor window to admire the view of Huddersfield.

Looking out at the town’s skyline he spotted an imposing Victorian building in the distance.

“Is that a prison?” asked the culture minister.

“Er, no”, said one of his hosts. “That’s St George’s Warehouse”.

It was an unfortunate enquiry by Mr Bradshaw. Perhaps: “What’s that building over there?” would have been a better way of phrasing the question.

But, at least if the warehouse was a prison it would mean it was being put to some use.

Instead, it has sat idle for decades, a beautiful Victorian building right by the railway station, left to fester.

Let’s hope that some time in the foreseeable future “the prison” will be put to some use.