Renovation Diary: March 2023

Week 09/23: 3rd March

More progress was made on 'Project Cowshed' this week as GRC students stripped the paint from the brick walls and sealed them ready for painting. The wooden joists are being painted with a fresh black paint to make them look fresh and finished. Meanwhile plans are afoot for the refurbishment, upgrading the area using recycled materials from the pub.

Students stripping the walls underneath the covered are in The Courtyard.

Week 11/23: 17th March

A momentous occasion this week as the last of the scaffold has finally come down! Years of history has now been revealed in all its naked glory. The last of the brick pointing was completed earlier in the week by JM&Co and Warren worked hard to wash the brick walls, remove the scaffold and tidy up the area below.

Washing the first floor walls to remove the built up grime.
Area round one of the windows has obviously been cleaned up. More to go ....
Photo from far back showing the work required in the cleaning of the wall.
The side wall cleaned up and scaffolding free.
A rather tired but happy Warren in front of his work.
The front of The Kitchen and Scool Room saffold free. Just need the rear porched repaired and it's done.
Lexie in front of the side of The Swan and there is no scaffolding!

Meanwhile progress has been made on Project Cowshed as GRC students started to give the walls and rafters a fresh lick of paint.

Students whitewashing the walls using long poles to reach up high.
Team sweeping up underneath the covering out in The Courtyard.

More improvements to come now that we can access this space and Paul will be back to fix the last remaining slate tiles above the back door. Come on down and see for yourselves as our outside spaces are improved in preparation for the warmer weather that is (we all hope) just around the corner …

Week 12/23: 24th March

It was a very productive week for Project Cowshed this week. The team worked hard clearing out (yet more) stuff in preparation for work to ensue. Painting continued on the walls and rafters and consideration went into the final design aesthetic. Sam worked on stencils for the back wall and Elliot cladded the steel sink that will go in the back bar when complete.

Micky up a ladder, not sure he knows what is actually doing.
The Courtyard is full of items that need to be removed by Easter. Baffy marking out the stencil.

Glenn and Steve had the tricky job of levelling the floor in the bar area but have successfully made a platform (all from reused and donated materials)! The concept is to build up a level platform so that the external bar can be safely hosted and manned. Those that know the area will realise that there is a big dip and lots of uneveness in that area (until about 1907 it was a cesspool).

Corner of the covered area cleared and freshly painted.
Carpenters measuring out the bar floor insitu.
Checking the frame is correct.
Floor laid out to work out exactly where the supports need to go.
Measuring insitu to make sure that the cut is in the right place.
Close up of how the guys do a 45 degree cut.
The guys at work in The Courtyard.
Framework almost complete - putting in the last of the cross pieces.
Framework - putting in further supports to ensure platform doesn't buckle.
The flooring sheets going down onto the framework.
Newly completed platform ready for the next stage.

More work will continue next week with the aim to have one side of the covered area usable over the Easter break.

Week 13/23: 31st March

GRC students have worked hard in their practical sessions to get one half of the covered area ready for the Easter holidays. If you stop by The Swan you can now enjoy a comfortable seating area with the frame work of the outside bar in place. More to come with a vinyl floor being laid in the bar next week and, following the holidays, they will move into the next half with plans to build a brick wall, add lighting and finish the decor.

Temporary insitu on new platform, nice and level.
Old stairs have been used to create the new outer bar.
Volunteer attaching a bell just above the bar.
Renovation Diary for February enovation Diary for April, 2023