What's inside?

It's a familiar building that I've shown many times on my blog, situated on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal just outside Saltaire. This is Shipley Wharf, originally canalside warehouses and then converted into business units. It houses part of a business called Radio Design, which makes RF technology (don't really understand this!) - something to do with wireless communication. It also houses a restaurant, the Waterside Bistro. At one time there was a gym in the end unit, which closed in 2018. It has recently been imaginatively converted into small studios: Wharf Street Studios. The brainchild of a local furniture maker, James Whittam, he was seeking affordable premises for his own business and, upon finding the three storey space, realised it could become a hub for creative businesses and artists. 

Two floors have been imaginatively divided into wooden 'pods', which carve the space up flexibly without affecting the building's original structure, whilst the top floor is a meeting room and conference space. It has recently opened for business and within the premises I found jewellers, artists, a florist, textile designers, an upholsterer, a milliner, a newborn and family photographer, a ceramic designer and several others who were not open when I looked round. There's also a coffee shop, conveniently sited for both the businesses and passers-by to pop in. 

A jeweller's workshop (above) 

Abigayl Lily, floral design (Claire Moses) 

Salt Weave Studio, textile design and weaving (Rebecca Ough) :

Marns Makes, upholsterer (Alice Marns):

Karolinka Designs, jeweller - although I think the cards might have been by an artist friend sharing the display space: 

The conversion has retained some of the original winding gear that would have been used to lower goods onto canal barges. I just love it when people have such great ideas for respecting the heritage of our lovely old buildings - and in this case it is another advance in making Saltaire and Shipley a real centre for the creative arts. See HERE for a press feature about it.