Working with the Canal & River Trust at Tower Works
Richardson and Ask are proud to be supporting waterway and wellbeing charity Canal & River Trust, the organisation that looks after Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Richardson and Ask are working with the Trust and its neighbouring developments, including Mustard Wharf, to improve a 200-metre stretch of the towpath, from the Canal Office to the Railway Bridge to provide a route by the water to and from Leeds train station.
Having been in need of repair for some time, the 200 year-old pathway is popular with
walkers, joggers, cyclists and anglers. This traffic-free route is a popular spot away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Design work is currently underway which will improve the section of towpath adjacent to the Tower Works site in the heart of Leeds and a start on site will be made as soon as the current restrictions allow.
Commenting on the works, Alan Daines, Infrastructure Services Regional Manager for Canal & River Trust said: “Leeds Southbank area is undergoing a huge transformation presently.
"Landmark developments close to our canal network, such as Tower Works, are coming to fruition all the time. With our research showing that spending time by water can help to improve our health, wellbeing and happiness we are working closely with developments to help communities to connect to their local waterway and realise the benefits of being by the water.
“Previous custodians of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal have undertaken a variety of approaches to towpath repairs over the years, leaving a disjointed and uneven surface due to the different materials used. Thanks to the support of developers like Richardson and Ask our charity is able to realise more ambitious programmes and extend existing works to provide safe pathways with improved access near to water. We have already begun work at Mustard Wharf and the new, continuous path of York stone will look superb."
Alison Carroll, development project manager for Ask Real Estate said: “Canal & River Trust is a key stakeholder and we are delighted to be working with them and our neighbours on this important work.
“When building work commences on the Tower Works site we will be partnering with the Trust and our construction contractors Sir Robert McAlpine to erect hoardings along the canal path where it borders the site which will ensure we have no impact on the canal during the build programme.
“During the construction phase the towpath will be out of bounds for safety reasons and the path improvement works will take place concurrently to the building of phase one at Tower Works, so when the development work is completed the canal path will also be ready for use.”
Tower Works
Tower Works site is located within the Holbeck Conservation Area, which features a number
of listed buildings across what was Leeds’ primary industrial area. The area is one of the only remaining places within Leeds where 19th Century industrial buildings have survived largely unaltered and uninterrupted, leaving a special character and appearance to the area.
Tower Works was founded on the site by T.R. Harding in 1864 to make steel pins for carding and combing in the textile industry. In addition to these items the company also developed a range of innovative and advanced industrial instruments, including speed indicators, counters, and gauges. The factory’s products were world class, selling all over the globe.
The original buildings, designed by Thomas Shaw, were erected in 1864-6, with the design being heavily influenced by his love for Italian architecture and art.
Within the Tower Works site, the Giotto Tower, Verona Tower are Grade II* listed, and the Engine House, Little Chimney, and 6-10 Globe Road are Grade II listed. The three towers are Holbeck’s most prominent landmarks and are an integral part of the area’s history and heritage.
The Grade II* listed Verona Tower can be recognised as the smaller ornate tower of the site. It was the first of Tower Works’ Italianate towers to be built and is based on the Lamberti Tower in Verona.
The Grade II* listed Giotto is recognised as the most ornate and largest of all the towers both in height and massing. It was designed as a ventilation tower and its structure contains filters that are able to collect metal particles produced during the pin making process. The Tower is based on the iconic Giotto Campanile, the bell tower of Florence’s Cathedral.
The Grade II listed Little Chimney is the latest of the towers and it is known as the Boiler House Chimney. It can be seen to represent typical Tuscan towers, such as the medieval towers in San Gimigniano, Tuscany.
For information about Canal & River Trust visit 
Rob's claim to fame are his jottings about the beginnings of their journey on NB Hekla. They came into being initially as a short story about ‘The Long Way Round’ which was featured in Canal Boat Magazine. The success and feed back from this article prompted Rob to divulge more of the journey, as the magazine article alone didn’t seem to give enough of the essence of that journey.
It is what it is.. we PopUp in unexpected places, much to the surprise of our followers. We enjoy festivals, markets and of course we open up in places we visit - be it a town, city or just out on the towpath. There is no rhyme or reason to it - it’s what takes our fancy.
Rob and Lesley are currently open for business on the Chesterfield Canal, and of course with their 
We have travelled the Leeds & Liverpool canal, the Shropshire Union, The Staffs & 
This developed into the range of beautiful chopping board
We were trying to think of a way of streamlining our stock & the items we sell at the end of last season 
I got the idea to live on a boat when I saw one for sale whilst walking along the towpath around Alvechurch.
The boat was at Aldermaston and I needed to get her back to Alvechurch ASAP to get on with the ever mounting engraving orders.
I've always been keen on crafts and love glass in all its forms.
Since I became a canal trader I've been welcomed by other floating traders and made some fantastic friends. I feel it's important not to copy something another boater does and I'm confident I have a unique product.
I don't sell online or post glass out as I just don't have the time (or will) to administer it.
Illia Price, trading as Caledonia Glass, has been a member of Roving Canal Traders since she began her canal business. She creates beautiful works of art using lead and glass paint, and it's a great testament to her skill as a boat designer (and her boat handling skills!) that she can carry so much glass aboard a narrowboat without breaking any of it!
From the front the Pub is a sprawling building with the brewery situated to the left and a small court yard at the front with two imposing grapevines and old English ivy present in keeping with name. Once you come into the pub the first room you come to is the main bar, a spacious room with a traditional bar and scrub top tables. Locals are stood at the bar laughing and joking with the bar staff. Other groups of various ages are scattered amongst the other tables and the open fire roars setting a warm friendly atmosphere.
Behind the bar there are some 12 large kilner taped jars labelled with such delights as Christmas pudding gin, cherry rum and raspberry vodka. A glance at the hand pulls shows 4 of The Vine’s own beers all lined up in uniform on the hand pulls are a vanilla porter, grapefruit IPA and a ruby mild with their guest ale of single hoped summit, but the knowledgeable staff are quick to inform that the pecan porter provides the aromas coming from the brewery.
To the rear is a large pool room over looking a lovely courtyard style beer garden complete with a large covered area.
Landlord Oliver Westwood and his team (most of which have been there a number of years which is always a good sign) have been at The Vine since 2005. Under his tenure the micro brewery has been added and a great deal of improvements have been made he says. “The Vine Inn is a labour of love for me and the staff. It was always my father's local and he even had a stint at running it as a tenant when it was a punch tavern pub. When it came up on the market as a freehold we just had to jump at the opportunity to rescue her. Since then we have replaced roofs, installed a new garden, taken out miles of Artex, re wired every room and generally worked on years of neglect at the hands of various pub co’s and breweries. We still have a long way to go but have a great vision of what the pub can be to secure it for generations to come”.
This is evidenced in the work to the kitchen, which is now producing bar snacks and sharing platters and other delights into the restaurant room and bars. This whilst the function room is also being upgraded to host live music and entertainment after a long hiatus. Oli enthusiastically tells us he already has a commitment from the local blues club to use the space on a monthly bases for a rock and blues night. He’s hoping to attract more local musicians to host residences here in 2020 to turn the 16th century function room into a lively little venue.
Oli and Sian welcome you to the Vine Inn & Brewery in Rugeley. The pub isn't quite by the canalside, but certainly worth the short walk.
The Piesse of Piddle, hotel, bar and restaurant, is managed by Graeme Piesse, and it is he who is the heart and soul of the place.
The bar area is unique and interesting, with statues and enormous plants, and giant beer barrels supporting the bar itself.
is a very well attended quiz night on the last Sunday of the month, a folk night on the 4th Monday of each month, and an open mic night on the last Wednesday of each month.
Graeme offers everyone a very friendly welcome to his hotel and pub. He is always ready to chat or to entertain. At the moment the pub is open from 4.30 every day except Sundays when it opens at 12.00. Food is available 12pm to 6pm on Sunday, and from 5pm Tuesday to Saturday. Sunday roasts are particularly recommended, though all the food is excellent. Rooms are available for short or long term rental, and there is a large private dining room which can be made available for special occasions - anything from Christenings to Wakes.
I first started boating in 2003 when I sold my house for a killing, bought my first boat and went boating as a single handed woman.
Brian & Jane's narrowboat is warm and welcoming compared to the chilly weather outside, smoke curling from its chimney, and frost sparkling on the ground.
Brian did his apprenticeship as an engineer in Skipton in Yorkshire, then went on courses to learn blacksmithing - something that would give his creativity a freer rein.
This year marks their 30th year living on board Emily. In that time they have had two children, Lewis 26 and Frances 24, who spent their lives aboard until leaving for university.
I’m upset Yorkshire Waterways Museum was forced to close, despite being so closely linked with other partners, including the Canal and River Trust and that since its closure, little has been decided about the site.