Stokers, Chard, Somerset

HSHAZ funded project, Somerset

Stokers is a site within the historic market town of Chard in South Somerset and is located within the town’s Conservation Area. The project formed part of the site ,designated for the Chard High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) and part of the government/Historic England initiative to fund and rejuvenate historic high streets.

Image (below) credit: © Galliscope

The Chard High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ)

Three of the principal streets within the town, which have a rich tapestry of heritage properties, were the prime focus of the Action Zone area. Individual properties benefitted from the funding:

• improve the general aesthetic of the street frontage, 

• to carry out repair and maintenance works,

• to improve public accessibility and connectivity

• and in the case of Stokers, it was to invest in the shopfronts at street level, in order to reinstate the historic frontages

Stokers was a particularly interesting case study in that it was the first jewellery shop as the recipient of the grant programme. It had a very dated facade with a pull down roller shutter, which was not in-keeping nor suited to the heritage context. Much of the timber used in the original facade was rotten and generally the building’s fabric was not well maintained.

One key focal area for the project was to enable people with visual impairments a better shopping experience. We introduced improved colour contrast when looking at the facade and through the shop’s facade. The project also offered an opportunity for better lighting, signage and general navigating of the site. 

On a technical level, we also had to strike a balance between, built heritage conservation, meeting Building Regulation requirements and also integrating the insurer’s needs, so they were satisfied the building could continue to be insured.