News / underfall yard
Repair work starts at Underfall Yard’s ‘Big Shed’ two and a half years after fire
A 12-month reconstruction project has started at Underfall Yard to rebuild its most well-known structure.
Known as the ‘Big Shed’, it is the flagship building on the site and was one of the places that was destroyed in an arson attack in May 2023.
The Big Shed and its three adjoining workshops will all be reconstructed as closely as possible to their original look using historically appropriate materials.
“Rebuilding Underfall Yard brings the buildings we know and love back to Bristol but, more than that, it is about what happens in the buildings,” said Underfall Yard Trust director, Sarah Murray.
“Traditional boatbuilding and maritime skills will once again be at the heart of the Yard.
“We know how much the Yard means to the people of Bristol and beyond; we want nothing more than to be back to full strength as a working boatyard where visitors can see, hear and smell boatbuilding in action.”
Serial arsonist Robert Boyd-Stevenson is serving a life sentence for the fire he started at Underfall Yard on May 5 2023 just three days after he got a job as a maintenance manager at the site – photo: Underfall Yard Trust
From December 2 to 9, all donations to the Underfall Yard Trust’s Recovery & Reinvestment campaign up to £10,000 will be doubled as part of the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge.
The trust still needs to raise £100,000 “to implement improvements to meet modern boatbuilding needs and improve its community engagement works via a dedicated community space”.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
