Scaffolding back up on little Marton Mill ready for next round of work

Thursday, 12 June 2025 15:43

By Richard Hunt

The scaffolding is back up on Little Marton Mill, ready for the next round of work to begin.

Volunteers have been battling to restore the famous Blackpool landmark, which greets visitors as they come into the town along Preston New Road.

The mill has already been revamped internally, thanks to volunteer work paid by the Friends of Little Marton Windmill.

But extensive rendering is now needed, as well as repairs to the cap, with water leaking in.

Previous scaffolding was taken down in May after youths climbed onto the temporary structure and removed a pole.

Now scaffolding is back up with a different firm, Wyre Scaffolding, which extends further up to the mill and will allow access to the roof.

A spokesman for the Friends group said: “Blackpool Council, which owns the mill, will be paying for the rendering work.

“We don’t have a date for that work yet but it will be welcome.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be in a position yet to get new sails and have them put on.

“It will cost around £40,000 and funds aren’t available at this stage.”

The council has said the cap needs to be repaired before any possible restoration of the sails can take place. The sails were removed in May 2023 after one was damaged during high winds.

The Grade II listed landmark building, completed in 1838 by John Hays for grinding corn, is already in decline.

The council has said it is committed to carrying out essential repairs but funds are currently not available to find the huge amount to buy new sails and have them installed.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by Blackpool resident Kevin Hodgson, working on behalf of the Little Marton Windmill Friends group, but that has now ended.

A petition was also set up to help and gathered 1,253 signatures but solid financial assistance remains a challenge.

Mr Hodgson, who runs the Facebook site We Love Windmills, said: “The fact that scaffolding is up is very welcome.”