Building heritage skills and community connections in Liverpool City Region

26/08/2026

The exterior of the 19th-century glass bottle manufacturing building

The building that played a major role in 19th-century glass bottle manufacturing has been restored and repurposed into a skills training hub.

The only remaining part of the largest glass bottle production site in the world is now home to the Cannington Shaw Heritage Skills Academy.

Our funding of £294,661 enabled the site to deliver much needed hands-on heritage skills training, addressing skills shortages across the sector through a two-year restoration programme.

The shell of the building with no roof and trees growing within it — The project has brought new life into the once derelict building.

The No7 Bottle Shop is a Grade II listed building and Scheduled Monument built in 1886. It was one of the first glass-making bottle shops to run 24/7 in the world, using innovative technology. After manufacturing stopped in 1918, the tank was removed and the building became a general store. During the Second World War the underground tunnels were used as an air raid shelter.

Falling into disrepair in the late 1970s and following wider demolition of the industrial area in 1982, it became the last remaining piece of the United Glass Bottle Manufacturers site. Cannington Shaw has been on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk Register since 2002.

A community hub

John Tabern, Project Director, said: “This project isn’t just about restoring this amazing piece of heritage, it’s also about safeguarding the traditional skills that built it and investing in the future of our community.”

The Bottle Shop now plays an active role in town life, hosting events, activities and pop-up markets. Its Community Shed, led by a skilled joiner, offers a chance for local people to come to the shed, build friendships and learn new skills.

The inside of a brick building with supporting internal columns and wooden roof rafters — The 19th-century building is a monument to the area's rich industrial past.

Project achievements include:

•    attracting over 1,200 visitors with nearly 400 of them doing talks and tours
•    enabling eight young people from St Helens College to complete a total of 234 work experience hours
•    inspiring 24 architecture students from Liverpool John Moores University in their final Year 3 design project
•    creating two apprenticeships

Investing in young people

Harry, who gained experience on the project, has secured further opportunities to work on other Grade I and Grade II listed heritage brickwork in the area.

He said: “I’ve always been interested in construction and I feel really proud to be involved in preserving this iconic building for future generations to use and enjoy. This has given me the chance to get experience of using both modern and traditional techniques and materials, which has been brilliant.”

The project ran alongside the main restoration works that were awarded £1.3million from the government’s Towns Fund.