Hartlepool Post Office, a Grade II listed building, in Leeds, has been repurposed into a spacious workplace and social hub for the city.

This Victorian Grade II listed asset has been refurbished and extended by Group Ginger and its partners, the Northern School of Art. Completed in 2019, the building maintains its original industrial architecture and history to provide a fully serviced facility that offers studios, flexible teaching spaces and a social networking environment.

The studio space was not only previously a post office, but also a nightclub, bar, and restaurant. Over the years, this saw the destruction of some of the building’s original features, which Group Ginger has reinstated and repaired to its former glory.

The building now has a ‘fourth wing’, acting as a central hub, linking the new and original buildings into one space. The refurbishment focused on making the whole building accessible for everyone, with carefully coordinated placement of lift access to keep this all connected.

Atkinson & Kirby’s Chiswick Oak flooring was selected to be fitted in the building’s office space. The pre-finished engineered white oak floor has an attractive variability in tone, which creates a contemporary feel amongst the exposed brick, and steel  beams. The flooring also creates a light, spacious look which adds to the natural sunlight provided by the building’s large skylights, industrial windows and brightly painted feature walls.