Classic Masonry has been awarded a £450,000 contract to deliver the restoration of the external brickwork and chimneys at the Grade II* listed Keelmen’s Hospital in Newcastle.
The works is part of a major regeneration scheme to bring one of the city’s most historically significant buildings back into use.
Working on behalf of main contractor BRIMS Construction, Classic Masonry is delivering the specialist heritage masonry package, with works carried out using a conservation-led approach, ensuring that as much of the original fabric is retained as possible, with new and reclaimed materials carefully matched to the historic character of the structure. This will include the careful repair of original masonry, the stitching and stabilisation of deteriorated brickwork, and the salvage and reuse of historic materials from site, helping to retain the building’s character and historic integrity. The works will also utilise traditional hot lime mortars, selected for their compatibility with the historic fabric and their role in supporting long-term conservation outcomes.
Works commenced in May and are expected to be completed in Autumn 2027.
North-Shields based, Classic Masonry is a specialist masonry and restoration contractor with extensive experience delivering heritage and conservation-led projects across the UK, working on a range of listed and historically significant buildings. Its work focuses on the repair, conservation and sensitive restoration of historic structures, ensuring original architectural features and materials are preserved wherever possible.
Classic Masonry has delivered works on a number of well-known and historically significant buildings across the North East, including Fenwick’s department store in Newcastle, St Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle, Morpeth Railway Station, Newcastle Civic Centre, Hylton Castle in Sunderland and the Union Chain Bridge in Berwick.
Completed in 1701 as an almshouse for the Tyne keelmen, Keelmen’s Hospital is one of Newcastle’s earliest surviving brick structures and the last remaining property directly associated with the city’s historic keelmen community. Built through charitable donations from the keelmen themselves, the building originally provided shelter, food and medical care for sick and elderly workers and their families.
Over time, the building has served a variety of uses, including tenement housing and later student accommodation for the former Newcastle Polytechnic, now Northumbria University, before falling vacant in 2009. Vacant for more than 20 years, Keelmen’s Hospital is currently included on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
Led by Tyne + Wear Building Preservation Trust (T+WBPT) in partnership with Newcastle City Council, the redevelopment will see the former hospital carefully restored and transformed into 20 affordable homes while preserving its significant historic character, including the iconic clock tower and turret.
The wider restoration project was confirmed in 2025 following £4.6m in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England with Newcastle City Council completing the funding package through section 106 contributions and prudential borrowing. The scheme aims to secure the long-term future of the building and return it to active use as part of the city’s historic riverside landscape.
Darren Brown will lead the commercial delivery of the scheme, with Gary Kennedy overseeing operational delivery on site.
Mike Moody, managing director at Classic Masonry, said: “Keelmen’s Hospital is an important part of Newcastle’s heritage and we are proud to have been appointed. This is exactly the kind of historic, conservation-led work that sits at the heart of what we do. We would also like to thank BRIMS Construction for the opportunity to be involved in such a significant scheme. The work being delivered on site is a strong example of sensitive, high-quality restoration. Our specialist masonry package will be key to ensuring the building’s historic fabric is carefully preserved for future generations.”