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The nation votes for Pen Yr Orsedd
- Restoration Village results from fifth programme revealed
Presenter Griff Rhys Jones tonight reveals that the nation has chosen Pen Yr Orsedd Quarry Workshops, Nantlle, to be the fifth building to go through to the final of this year's Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO series, Restoration Village.
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Last Friday (25 August), in the fifth episode of the new series, Griff called upon viewers to make their mark on history and choose between three Welsh buildings: Prichard-Jones Institute, Newborough, Anglesey; Pen Yr Orsedd Quarry Workshops, Nantlle; and Pembrey Court Farm, Pembrey, Carmarthenshire.
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Les Jones, organiser of the supporters' group for Pen Yr Orsedd said: "I'm thoroughly excited at the news and we've achieved something really substantial here.
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"It really is something special for such a small village, with a population of just 200 people, to have won this vote. It will help revive the village and the whole area in a way."
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Pen Yr Orsedd Quarry Workshops, Nantlle
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These Grade II listed slate quarry buildings include workshops, offices, hospital and industrial buildings.
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Built in two stages - in the 1860s and between 1899 and 1907 - they stand in a spectacular mountainous setting, with views down to Nantlle Lake.
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Four hundred and fifty men worked in the quarry, which finally closed down in 1997.
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The walls and roofs are in place but the interiors of the buildings need total renovation in order to create a training and workshop centre for the repair, replication and manufacture of heritage engineering items.
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The intention is to provide a focal point and to provide training and employment in one of the most deprived communities in Wales.
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This year the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has set aside Β£1.9m for The Restoration Fund to help restore the winners.
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Jennifer Stewart, HLF's manager for Wales, said today: "The Pen Yr Orsedd Quarry Workshops are a heritage star at the very heart of the community and we're delighted it has gone through to the final.
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"This new series once again gives the public the chance to have a say on which building receives National Lottery funding through the HLF.
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"I'd like to encourage people from all over Wales to really get behind their finalist and guarantee them a future by pledging their votes."
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Tonight's result means the workshops become one of eight buildings to be featured in the live grand final, to be held at Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in Chichester on Sunday 17 September.
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Here, a nationwide vote will decide which building should be given a new lease of life with money raised throughout the course of the series.
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Three more of the nation's threatened architectural treasures, in Northern Ireland, are tonight (Friday 1 September) vying for the public vote on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ TWO at 9.00pm: White House, Newtonabbey; Gracehill Old School, Gracehill; and Cushendun Old Church, Cushendun.
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Details of local roadshows, being held this weekend to tie in with the transmission of the episode, are available at bbc.co.uk/restoration.
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Next Friday's episode of Restoration Village (8 September) will reveal which of these will become the sixth building to go through to the final.
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Lines are now open and viewers can vote by calling 09013 600 500. Voting lines are open from 12.01am every Friday morning for each programme until midnight on Tuesday.
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If the building you voted for hasn't won its regional heat, don't give up hope. It still has a chance.
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The runner-up with the most votes across the series will become our eighth finalist and go through to compete for the Restoration prize fund.
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Restoration Village is produced by Cheetah Television (part of Endemol UK) for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Scotland.
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Information on all 21 buildings featured in the series, and regional finalists, is available through the website on bbc.co.uk/restoration.
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For information on the HLF, please go to www.hlf.org.uk.
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Each call will cost Β£1 with 77p going directly to the Restoration Fund, a registered charity. Calls from a BT landline will cost Β£1. Calls from mobiles and other networks may vary.
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Monies raised from the voting lines will be used for the building that receives the most votes in the final provided it fulfils the conditions set out by the Trustees of The Restoration Fund. Μύ
Over and above the money from the phone-lines, the Heritage Lottery Fund has set aside Β£1.9m for Restoration Village.
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HLF will make a Project Planning Grant (PPG) available to all those projects short-listed for the final that need further help with their planning, up to the value of Β£50,000 each. The rest will go to the winning building (subject to approval by the Restoration Fund) along with monies raised by viewer votes.
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