The £200m Glass Works development in Barnsley represents an extensive urban regeneration scheme of the town centre led by Barnsley Council with main contractor Henry Boot, architects IBI Group and installers RB Allfree. Comprising a vibrant mix of retail, leisure and a stunning new central square, it is now a modern, multi-use space that retains the heritage of the town.

Marshalls iconic Scoutmoor Yorkstone - a mainstay on the streets of Barnsley, is used throughout the transformed space. The buff and blue tones of the British stone landscape the entirety of Glass Works Square, a brand-new public space which enhances connectivity and accessibility in the town, as well as providing an attractive and relaxing area for shoppers, commuters and visitors.

A new bronze Covid Memorial by sculptor Graham Ibbeson titled ‘Reverence’, sits on a vast Scoutmoor plinth. The focal point of The Glass Works Square, it commemorates all those who lost their lives during the pandemic. Bespoke sand-blasted lettering spelling out keyworker occupations spans the perimeter of the stone plinth, paying tribute to those who supported the town through this difficult period.

The impressive Glass Works shopping and leisure complex which has drawn big high street names to the town, boasts a blend of Marshalls beautiful Indian sandstone to create an attractive L-shape internal walkway that guides shoppers through the centre.

Positioned throughout the shopping boulevard are a co-ordinated suite of seating benches in four different configurations, planters, benches and bins. All from Marshalls Natural Elements range of street furniture, they are each inspired by biophilic design which brings visual cues of nature in to the space.

Dave Stanger, Natural Stone Trading Director, said: “The Glass Works regeneration is of enormous significance to the future of Barnsley town centre and as such it’s an honour that our materials have been chosen to play a part in that, as they have for so long in the past. The plinth complements the sentiment of the sculpture perfectly, and demonstrates how our bespoke masonry capabilities can bring meaning to a piece of architecture.”

To discover more about the unique things we can achieve with natural stone, visit our Bespoke Inspiration page, where we walk you through our process of bringing your concepts to life, and you can see other bespoke projects like this we have helped complete.