Heritage restoration expert appointed to guide next stage of Ron’s Place project

We are pleased to announce that we have engaged Kate Dickson, director of Creative Heritage Consultants, as Heritage Project Organiser on the restoration of Ron’s Place.

A trained architect with 25 years in the sector, Kate will bring her expertise in the conservation and creative re-use of challenging historic buildings to develop a plan for the next stages of the project. 

The project has the ultimate aim of opening the home of the late Ron Gittins, the ‘Outsider’ artist who transformed his rented ground floor flat into an extraordinary visionary art environment inspired by a fascination with history. The upper floors of the property will provide affordable homes for artists.

Kate says: “This is a really complex project, which will involve both painstaking conservation and pragmatic conversion.

“We need to develop a long-term strategy for Ron’s Place to ensure a viable future and tackle short-term issues to care for Ron Gittins’ artworks – the challenge is working out what to do first.”

Kate’s appointment has been made possible by a Project Viability Grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund, which supports early-stage work on historic building projects. Her work will prepare the ground for making major funding bids for the development of the grade II-listed building.

Jan Williams, WACCLT board member and Ron Gittins’ niece, said: “After the gargantuan efforts involved in acquiring the building, and the excitement of achieving Grade II listing for Ron’s Place, WACCLT is thrilled that Kate Dickson will be helping us move forward with our plans. Her expert knowledge and experience are exactly what we need.”