Hull Now - More Forward Thinking

The Concepts

Proposed Site Panels for St. Andrew's Dock

Boards charting Hull's fishing history to breathe life into historic waterfront site

Sixteen huge display boards charting the history of Hull's former fish dock as well as plans for its future are set be installed there in the New Year. St Andrew's Dock was once home to the world's largest deep-water fishing fleet.

Now all that remains of those halcyon days are a couple of derelict buildings, the bullnose and the silted-up dock itself. It's hoped the display boards will also help discourage further vandalism in the area.

Over recent years both the former Lord Line trawler offices and the dock's Victorian pump house have suffered extensive damage by vandals. Travellers have also pitched their vans on the dock on several occasions, causing more damage and litter problems.

The boards are the idea of Andrew Fenton, a Hull-based commercial designer who is working with the main landowner John Levison on long-term plans to re-develop the site.

Mr Fenton said: "The site boards were produced so we could at least have something up on the derelict site that would have a striking visual presence and help to give some background about the docks history.

"Hopefully they will also act as a gentle reminder to people who are defacing this area that this dock was the last leaving point for many thousands of men who never returned home."

He acknowledged many people were frustrated about an apparent lack of progress on regeneration at the site.

"Ok, it's not filling the dock up with water again or putting in the infrastructure for a cruise terminal but it's a start.

"The vision panels are designed with old-style building fascia and gable ends above each board depicting some of the former businesses that used to operate on the dock in its heyday.

"The panels are free-standing and not fixed down so they can be moved and re-used when we are working on different parts of the site."

They are initially earmarked for a spot next to Mr Chu's China Palace restaurant and will be visible from the public footpath running along the edge of the River Humber, as well as the road leading to the Bullnose.

 The boards are expected to be installed early 2018.

Mr Fenton said: "We would encourage people not to wander onto the land the boards are going to be standing to view them because the site is in such a dangerous condition.  "They are big enough to be seen from the existing path and the road."

 Some of the panels show design visuals for a proposed garden for the Last Trip memorial, which Mr Fenton designed and built and now stands in a temporary home in Zebedee's Yard in the city centre.

"We are still working on the general designs and have yet to submit a planning application for the garden area but the plan is to have this in once we have the final design for the garden completed over the next couple of months.

"We have had some funding from Hull City Council and the Bullnose Heritage Group together with the many families who have purchased ship's bows that were offered for sale on the The Last Trip memorial.

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