Three industrial heritage sites are facing an uncertain future this autumn. Ellis Mill in Lincoln, Whitburn Windmill in South Tyneside, and the Spa Cliff Lift furnicular in Scarborough are all facing temporary closure.
Ellis Mill, which was built in 1798, is the last of nine that once stood on Lincoln’s Yarborough hill and is currently on Historic England’s at-risk register. Lincolnshire County Council, which owns the Grade II listed building, is planning to remove the deteriorating mill cap and sails, and to install a temporary weatherproof structure to maintain its structural integrity, ahead of a decision on repairs. The windmill has only been occasionally open to the public since 2020. A local group has proposed taking over the site. More details here: Lincoln’s ‘at risk’ windmill cap and sails to be removed
The Grade II listed Whitburn Windmill, on South Tyneside, is to have its sails removed due to structural safety concerns. The windmill was damged in a storm over the winter, causing some of the wood to come loose. South Tyneside Council said the sails will be removed in October and its “immediate priority” was to “make the structure safe”. More details here: Whitburn Windmill sails to be removed due to structural concerns
The listed Spa Cliff Lift furnicular in Scarborough was closed in August due to safety fears. North Yorkshire Council, which own the site, said it has taken the difficult decision to close the lift with immediate effect. This followed an independent engineering assessment which identified a number of issues affecting the lift’s aging infrastructure. The council said it will continue to assess the findings and provide further updates in due course. Further details here: Cliff Lift
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