Rolling stones

Work began this morning to remove the ruins of the end outbuilding. The back wall's being retained and two buttresses are being constructed to stabilise it. This is part of phase 2 (or is it 1b?) work to create the beer garden. The overall plan is to pave the current courtyard area beside the ex-boiler house. Later, the boiler house will be removed as will the breeze block wall at the end of the courtyard. A wall built with stone reclaimed from today's operation will be built later. Of course the boiler house and breeze block wall are both listed (listing applies to the site not specific buildings) so we can't go ahead with that part of the project until planning permission and listed building consent are given.

Also now requiring planning permission and listed building consent is the conversion of the old owners' accommodation into a suite. That'll delay work a bit, but there are other things we can get on with such as refitting the laundry store above room 9 and setting up room 8 as our office.