Local firm ITP supplies debris netting on East End of York Minster to protect visitors, craftsmen and the historic materials.
Visitors to York may be disappointed that part of the glory of its main attraction is currently concealed by an elaborate shroud of scaffolding. In an unconventional partnership of craftsmanship and cutting edge science, the future of York Minster is being assured by preserving its past.
Bolstered by a generous grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, York Minster Revealed is a £20million project spanning 5 years. The ambitious plans will transform the visitor experience and include interactive galleries and underground chambers designed to showcase the Minster’s historical significance.
Far from shielding the public from this renovation process, the transformation is accessible via interactive displays inside the Minster’s East End and through a series of events. These include behind the scenes tours incorporating a lift to the top of the scaffold, and for the less adventurous, an opportunity to meet the experts and watch the intricate carving and glass restoration at close range.
With the public having access to the Minster throughout the works, a significant focus has been placed on health and safety. To protect visitors, craftsmen and the historic materials, debris netting supplied by Easingwold Based Industrial Textiles and Plastics (ITP) is attached to the scaffold encasing the East End, home of the intricate Great East Window.
Commenting on their involvement in the project, Marc van der Voort Managing Director at ITP said,
“As a local company, we are proud to be involved in the renovation and preservation of such an important piece of our heritage. Our Powerclad Debris Netting is a knitted net incorporating button hole eyelets along the length of the roll for fastening to the scaffold structure. Most relevant to this project is its capacity to improve site safety by reducing the risk of debris and small tools falling outside the scaffold”.
With the renovation due for completion in 2016 there is still a long way until York Minster is finally revealed, but in the meantime the chance to watch the masons, carvers and glaziers in action is really too good to miss.
