NORTHWICH is one of the most exciting towns in England at the moment.

That is the view of George Osborne, who praised the “unbelievable” transformation of the Lion Salt Works during a visit to the site on Friday as Conservative MP for Tatton.

A £10.23 million restoration project has brought the soon-to-be-opened site back to life, and Mr Osborne enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of the restored monument to the salt industry.

Mr Osborne was invited by Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Lion Salt Works Trust to see how the restoration has transformed the decaying site.

He was joined by senior figures from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Historic England and other key stakeholders for a tour of the museum, which is now in the final stages of fit-out.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Osborne said: “It is unbelievable what has been done here, and I think this will become one of the most visited places in Cheshire.

“There is such an appetite for these industrial sites where people can see the industrial heritage of Cheshire. Northwich is a town that is going places, and this is a sign of that.”

Mr Osborne last visited the site in 2004, when he publicly added his support to the growing call to restore and refurbish the UK’s last traditional open pan salt works, then completely derelict.

He told the Guardian on Friday: “The salt works is such a big part of Northwich’s history, and the team here have done an absolutely brilliant job – it has exceeded all my expectations.

“The rooms I have visited are going to be open to thousands of visitors every year, and it will bring more tourists to the area and more spending in the local restaurants, cafes and shops.

“It is going to teach a whole new generation about our industrial heritage and the history of Northwich.

“Northwich is one of the most exciting towns in England at the moment with all the work that is going on – it’s a real go-getting town.

“It’s an exciting place to live, but it’s now also going to be an exciting place to visit.”

Friday’s visit marked the culmination of a four-year project to restore the crumbling 19th century buildings and develop the site into a ‘living museum’.

The Lion Salt Works will host preview openings for the public from May 20.

Visitors will be able to enjoy fun, interactive and educational exhibits telling the story of salt, including a walk-in ‘subsiding house’ and salt boiling pans that billow giant clouds of steam.

The museum’s historic core is made up of two restored pan houses and three restored stove houses, while an educational centre has been created inside the Red Lion Inn - the onsite pub which gave the salt works its name.

A butterfly garden, play area, café and conference centre complement the museum to appeal to a wide range of visitors.

The restoration and museum fit-out, which have been undertaken by Wates Construction and Becks Interiors respectively, has been mainly funded by Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The project has also benefited from a £300,000 grant from Historic England and a £280,000 contribution from the Manage+ European Programme.

Cllr Stuart Parker, Cheshire West and Chester executive member for culture and economy, said: “The Lion Salt Works is a unique monument to an industry which not only gave this region its economic lifeblood, but was a direct descendent of the massive chemical industry prevalent in the area today.

“When the council took over responsibility for the Salt Works in 2009 it was in a pitiful condition, derelict and decaying, and perilously close to being lost forever.

“The challenges we have faced in restoring this historic site have been considerable, and credit must go to Wates Construction for overcoming these and completing a sympathetic restoration of the highest standard.

“What we have today is a heritage attraction of national standing, offering a first-class visitor experience.

“The re-birth of the Lion Salt Works is thanks to the vision, hard work and funding of many passionate individuals and organisations - notably the trustees, who have worked towards this goal for more than two decades.

“We are also extremely grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic England, whose support has been instrumental in bringing this unique piece of history back from the brink.”

The Lion Salt Works was established in 1894 by the Thompson family and remained in their ownership through five generations. Salt was produced by evaporating brine in large cast iron pans.

After it ceased trading in 1986 the site was bought by the former Vale Royal Borough Council and subsequently granted Scheduled Monument status.

The works came to national prominence as a regional runner-up in the BBC Restoration programme in 2004, and in 2009 the site was acquired by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Nick Hunt, chairman of the Lion Salt Works Trust, said: “It is 22 years since the Trust started working towards the conservation of the Lion Salt Works, so this is a very exciting day for us.

“We greatly are really looking forward to developing our partnership with the council to help run the site, carry out further restoration and demonstrate the traditional processes of salt making.”

The HLF awarded the Lion Salt Works a grant of £5.29 million.

Sara Hilton, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “Salt has been produced in Cheshire since before Roman times, so it is fitting the last remaining vestige to the salt industry will be in Cheshire.

“We’re proud to have played a major role by investing National Lottery funds to rescue and restore the site for future generations to learn about how the industry helped shape the Cheshire we love today.”

Charles Smith, principal heritage at risk adviser for Historic England in the north west, said: “We are delighted that this internationally important site is finally coming back to life.

“The Salt Works is essential to any proper understanding of this country’s industrial past, and Historic England is proud to have contributed its expertise and a £300,000 grant to securing its future.”

@JimboTW @George_Osborne @NorthwichNews a drive round the gyratory is about the most exciting thing to do in Northwich #Cheshire — Scott Thomson (@scott_sjt) March 30, 2015



