Last updated at 19:37, Thursday, 19 April 2012

A building which has blighted one of Workington’s oldest and prettiest streets is being prepared for a new lick of paint.

Fieldside House: Scaffolding has been put up

Scaffolding has gone up on the former Fieldside House building in Elizabeth Street in preparation for the improvements.

The county council, which owns the building, made the decision to improve its appearance following an article in the Times & Star three weeks ago.

Nearby residents said they were appalled and disgusted by the state the building had fallen into.

They felt angry and frustrated because it had been left looking untidy despite being in a conservation area.

Allerdale and county councillor Joe Holliday and Allerdale councillor Michael Heaslip called on the county council to do something about it.

Coun Heaslip, who lives in Elizabeth Street, said: “I am very pleased that work has started.

“We are getting a cosmetic restoration, and I just hope the county council can now sort the plans for the fire station and Cavendish House as soon as possible so we know the long-term future of the area and we can bring Fieldside House back into use.”

He said he would like to thank Coun Holliday for all the work he had done to try and get the building tidied up.

No-one at the county council was available to comment on a start date for the painting work.

First published at 19:25, Thursday, 19 April 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk