Restored 200-year-old mansion to open to public

A Grade II listed mansion is set to reopen to the public after more than two decades of disrepair.

Buile Hill Mansion in Salford was built between 1825 and 1827 for Thomas Potter a textile merchant and the first mayor of Manchester. Once home to the city's mining museum, it hasn't been in use since 2000.

Restoration work began on the site in Buile Hill Park in 2023 and now the venue is set to open to the public on 21 March - with a new cafe and rooms for weddings and functions.

"It's a much loved piece of Salford's heritage," Councillor Barbara Bentham told BBC Radio Manchester, adding "I'm absolutely thrilled we are able to open it back up to the public again."

The new ground-floor cafe will be open to the public seven days a week - along with a new community room - available for local groups to use for meetings, clubs, and activities.

The cafe - opening on 21 March, between 13:00 and 16:00 GMT - has been named The Secret Garden and Bentham said the name was chosen as a homage to the 1911 children's novel.

"This is because there are rumours that Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote The Secret Garden on visits to the park," Bentham said.

According to Bentham, Salford Council worked with interior design company Space Invaders to restore each room "in colours that are sympathetic to what would have been popular at the time".

The mansion's original grand staircase is currently being restored - along with the ornate ceilings and coving.

And the mansion's original floor tiles are now on display after they were uncovered during part of the restoration, Bentham said.

Once complete, the mansion will be set to host weddings and functions in two refurbished rooms, each able to host up to 80 guests - with a new car park opening to accommodate large events.

The mansion is also set to become the new home of the Salford Register Office, with plans for the resident registrar to be based at the property.

Bentham said following the opening of the mansion plans are underway for development of the grounds.

"We've already received nearly £350,000 to develop the wider park - more equipment and landscaping, just to make this an absolute jewel in Salford's crown," she said.

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