National Union of Mineworkers headquarters

The building in 2013

The National Union of Mineworkers headquarters is a building in Sheffield, England which formerly housed the head office of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).

The building was commissioned by Arthur Scargill in the early 1980s in an effort to move the NUM from London to the friendlier territory of the "Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire"[1] and opened in 1988. Following the decline of the mining industry the NUM again relocated its headquarters to Barnsley.[2] The Sheffield building then stood derelict for more than two decades and was threatened with demolition in 2006.[3]

Architecturally, it is designed to blend in with Sheffield City Hall, which it sits opposite. In his 2010 book A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain, Owen Hatherley cites as ironic the fact that the NUM headquarters is more sympathetic to the history of Sheffield than anything constructed by New Labour, despite the latter's professed concern for "heritage".[1]

In December 2011, plans to turn the building into a casino were approved by Sheffield City Council. It was reported that as a casino, the building would include two restaurants and a rooftop bar.[2] In January 2013 work began to open two restaurants on the ground floor, but developers Quest Property said the casino was on hold but "still an option".[4] In January 2014 developers said the structure had been stripped out in preparation for use as restaurants, offices and for leisure purposes.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Hatherley, Owen (November 2010). A Guide to the New Ruins of Great Britain. New York: Verso Books. pp. 104–5.
  2. 1 2 "Sheffield casino plan approved for ex-NUM headquarters". BBC. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Casino plan for Sheffield NUM building wins support". BBC. 18 December 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "Casino on ice but new flavour for NUM HQ". Sheffield Telegraph. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "New hope for empty union headquarters in Sheffield". Sheffield Star. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2015.

Coordinates: 53°22′50″N 1°28′23″W / 53.38062°N 1.47312°W / 53.38062; -1.47312


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