To mark our half-century, we have added 50 at-risk buildings to our new-look register – and opened it to everyone for the first time
Buildings at Risk officer Liz Fuller introduces 10 of her favourites
In this, SAVE’s 50th year, we are adding 50 fantastic buildings to our Buildings at Risk register (BaR) and have also upgraded the register itself and made it free to all users.
To find the register go to “Get Involved > Buildings at Risk Register” and start searching, or go direct to the Buildings at Risk home page. The new version of the register is intended to make it easier to send us information and you can nominate new entries and send us updates via online forms.
Below we take 10 buildings at risk from this year’s launch to show the incredible variety and interest as well as potential of these new entries.
You will find all 50 new entries on the Buildings at Risk home page under “Collections” – 2025 new entries: 50 at 50.
From its beginnings, the register was intended to raise awareness of historic buildings which were disused, neglected and derelict and to encourage people with solutions to come forward. We hope that making the register public will do more to further these aims. Our 50th anniversary year also makes it a good time to reflect on what more can be done to help and what we stand to gain by succeeding.
The number of buildings on our register stands at over 1,400 and every year we add more, as well as recording both successes and losses. Each year increasing numbers of functional, historic buildings fall into disrepair for want of active maintenance and use. Despite growing recognition of the environmental benefits of reusing historic buildings and their potential to provide exciting spaces for new business, services and housing for their local communities, more and more are being lost. Rising and unpredictable costs, lack of funding, constrained local authority resources and a range of other policy priorities have condemned many of our historic buildings to long-term vulnerability and eventual loss.
Take Ten buildings at risk
For full details, search for each entry on the Buildings at Risk register or scroll through our 2025 New entries Collection on the left-hand panel on the BaR home page.
Gwasg Gee, Chapel Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
Standing on a narrow street at the centre of the historic town of Denbigh in North Wales, Gwasg Gee (or Gee Press in English) is a grade II* listed building of great importance to the Welsh language and cultural history. In 2022, it was declared a dangerous structure and part of its roof has collapsed and the council is seeking funding for urgent works. It is believed that the owner would be willing to sell.
Tin Tabernacle, Salisbury Road, Sherfield English, Romsey, Hampshire
Appearing like a secret hideaway, half hidden by woods this charming unlisted late 19th-century tin church was in fact built to provide a place for worship for the local dissenting congregation. This functional and attractive building is now sealed up and overgrown, yet still retains a sense of romance and mystery.
The Buffet building at Dreamland, Margate, Kent
Dreamland in Margate is well known as the historic amusement park saved from redevelopment. But the wider site still contains some hidden gems that are currently disused. Close to the grade II* listed wooden Scenic Railway, on an adjoining site in separate ownership, the sleek Buffet building is a vision of the future from between the wars. Once part of the site, it was built in beautifully and simply detailed Modernist style in 1928 by the architect CFS Palmer. It awaits a vision for bringing it to life again.
Griffin Hotel, 94 Standishgate, Wigan, Lancashire
This highly original building is located on Standishgate, a thoroughfare at the heart of historic Wigan, lined with some gracious houses and historic inns. The grade II Griffin Hotel was built in 1905 in a style the listing entry describes as Edwardian Baroque. The hotel has character in abundance but has certainly seen better days and has been closed since 2017.
Old Trafford Bowling Club Pavilion, 49 Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Manchester
This is an absolute treasure of a building. Listed grade II in 2023, the entry describes it as representing “the pinnacle of bespoke buildings for amateur bowls clubs”. The building is still in use for its original purpose, but it is in need of extensive work and desperately needs to raise funds to finance it.
Choo Choos, 69 Union Street, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3NE
Built as a centrepiece facing cross roads in a historic area of Plymouth, this building has a stunning frontage with abundant architectural detailing. Once known as the Legion Hall, it became Choo Choos, a popular club in an area once famous for its nightlife. Empty for a decade, this fine building has huge potential to be brought back into use.
East Biggins Farmhouse, Frosterly, Bishop Auckland, County Durham
In the breath-taking beauty and isolation of Weardale, grade II-listed East Biggins Farmhouse and barns date from the early to mid 18th century. The site was acquired some years ago by a private company primarily for country sports with plans to restore the farmhouse but no work has been done and the buildings are now at risk of serious decay.
Former Liverpool Furnishing Company,106 London Road, Liverpool
The flamboyant design of this prominent corner building with an imposing clock tower has been turning heads for well over a hundred years. Designed by W Hesketh and Co and built in 1899 as a sales showroom for hand-made furniture, the design was clearly intended to attract attention and allow the pieces on sale to be displayed to their best advantage. Listed grade II in 2023, this splendid building’s future is unclear.
The Duke of Bridgewater Inn, Station Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
This grade II listed former pottery owner’s house was linked to the New Bridge Pottery and dates from the early 19th century, later becoming a pub. Located alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal, the pub took its name from the third Duke of Bridgewater, who hired James Brindley to construct it in 1759 for the transportation of coal to Manchester from his mines in Worsley. Prominent and handsome, this building if restored would be a real beacon of regeneration.
Oakes School, Oakes Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
With a mix of Arts and Crafts, as well as Gothic Revival influences, including cusped oculi, buttresses, and a charming clock-tower at the building’s western corner, this grade II listed building has huge architectural appeal. Developer interest in converting the school and adjoining site to residential units has not resulted in any proposals that have made it past the pre-application stage.
