TV’s Robert Lindsay impressed by work at Whaley Bridge's Transhipment Warehouse

Robert Lindsay, known for his roles as Ben Harper in My Family and has also won an Olivier and Tony award for his work on Me and My Girl, was in the Whaley Bridge area visiting family.

Nev Clarke, general manager for the Whaley Bridge Canal Group which operates out of the transhipment warehouse, spoke to the star.

Speaking to the Advertiser he said: “He was lovely really down to earth.

“He remembered coming here when he was much younger and how the warehouse was abandoned and a ruin.

“He couldn’t believe how much it had changed and all the activities we have going on here and the emphasis we put on the arts.”

Since forming in 2011, volunteers gradually transformed the basin, planted shrubbery, built picnic furniture, generally worked to create a welcoming space to visit and spend time. The goal was to ensure that the Grade II listed Transhipment Warehouse be accessible and since November 2020 and after 30yrs of being locked up it has been open six days a week.

Nev says the aim was always to bring people together, to ‘rejuvenate and maintain one of Whaley Bridge’s great assets and links to the past; to create a village green type space for the town and range of events that not only enriches the community but puts them at the heart of it’.

The book and coffee shop, as well as the craft courses and storytelling, food bank and Men’s Shed project have all grown from that desire.

Nev said: “We do a lot of work with music and the spoken word and I think Robert liked to know there is a space pushing for that kind of creativity.

“It gave me that warm fuzzy feeling to know we are getting rights and I was really proud of all the team here.”

Nev said he was very friendly and even stopped and had a picture with Nev and his dog Ellie.

Looking at what will be coming in the next few months to the basin Nev said there will be more spoken word events, a Sex Pistols themed event with music and book readings as well as a story telling school.