The new tenants moving in to two historic York buildings have been revealed.
Built in 1841, the De Grey Rooms on St Leonard’s Place is one of the city’s finest examples of Victorian architecture.
And St Michael Le Belfrey church congregation is expected to move into the former ballroom by mid-July.
The opposite building, De Grey House, will host York Conservation Trust from 24 May as it moves its offices there permanently.
It will also become the headquarters of both the Council for British Archaeology .
The De Grey House proposals “are required by the new tenants, the Council for British Archaeology, to provide a secure modern office space and a space for meetings, exhibitions, and public engagement,” planning documents state.
Plans include a ground floor partition, glazed and with double doors.
The conservation trust owns both the De Grey Rooms and De Grey House and its chief executive Jonathan Bryant said: “We are really pleased, because it is the public access that is important to us.”
The De Grey Rooms was previously used by the York Theatre Royal. Between 2010 and 2021 it was home to the theatre’s costume hire department, offices and performance studios.
It was originally built as a new mess and ballroom for the Yorkshire Hussars, but also for wider public entertainment, concerts and meetings.
Both the York Conservation Trust and the Council for British Archaeology currently operate from number 92 Micklegate.
As YorkMix reported in April, there are plans to turn this building into a family home, complete with home office.
Restoration work at the 19th century buildings was approved by the City of York Council in January and will last for about two years.
St Michael Le Belfrey’s congration will move out of its 500-year-old church next to York Minster where Guy Fawkes was baptised this summer.
Associate vicar at St Michael Le Belfrey Andy Baker said of the De Grey Rooms ballroom: “It is an ideal venue for us.
“It is literally two minutes around the corner and the size is almost perfect.”
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct the fact that York Conservation Trust is moving into De Grey House, not De Grey Rooms. Sorry for the error
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