ONE of Beecham’s Building’s iconic features has been rescued during restoration works at the historically significant site.

Constructed in the 1880s, the Beecham's building was the first factory in the world built specifically to produce medicine, and allowed Beecham to become a major employer in St Helens and a global name in the pharmaceutical industry.

With the Nicholson Group transforming the building into a mixed-use development of apartments and commercial space, the property developers have also paid close attention to the building's clock, designed by architect H.V. Krolow in 1887.

As the clock became one of the most iconic and recognisable features of the Westfield Street building, the Nicholson Group has spent months working with church and public clocks specialists ’Clockmaker’ to restore the clock as part of the project’s renaissance.

Local historian and author 96-year-old Mary Presland is now on standby for the official relaunch of the building in September, alongside Paul Winstanley and Ian Rimmer from Rotary St Helens.

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The iconic building was constructed in the 1880sThe iconic building was constructed in the 1880s (Image: St Helens Archive)
Paul Winstanley said: “Paul promised everyone within heritage circles in the Borough to fix the clock.

"It’s so symbolic that the clock is working again with the development of the town centre and the development of this iconic building in St Helens.

"Thank you Paul and Nicholson Group in looking after this iconic building and getting the clock working again.”

The building has been transformed into a mixed-use space containing luxury flatsThe building has been transformed into a mixed-use space containing luxury flats (Image: Nicholson Group)
Nicholson Group CEO Paul Nicholson added: “Mary is genuinely excited to see the rejuvenation of Beecham’s Building given her interest in industrial history in the town.

“She told me that she still has memories of the famous chiming Beecham’s Building clock every quarter of an hour!”

Painstaking restoration work has brought the iconic building back into usePainstaking restoration work has brought the iconic building back into use (Image: Nicholson Group)
Mr Nicholson added: “It has been a pleasure working closely with heritage experts in re-purposing this architectural gem and it certainly broadened my knowledge of the building.

"An interesting fact that Paul Winstanley informed me of is that the clock has four distinct faces pointing north, south, east and west.

“We’re really grateful to Paul and his colleagues for their kind words about our completed mission to fix the clock.

"The general public has also been very complimentary too.”