Commissioned by the Newcastle Diocese and working closely with Doonan Architects, we delivered the £1.1m internal re-ordering of the historic Church of St Thomas the Martyr at Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne. Executed over a 30-week contract period, this specialised commercial project involved extensive alterations and adaptations designed to modernise the church interior for contemporary community use while preserving its architectural heritage.
Comprehensive interior reordering
To adapt the historic building for modern congregation and community requirements, the project required needed structural work and sensitive internal remodelling. The original floors were entirely removed and rebuilt, while the 19th century bench seating was removed and replaced with flexible, stackable chairs to create a more adaptable central space. Additionally, a new full-immersion baptismal font was installed within the nave.
Creating flexible community & meeting spaces
The reordering programme also focused on maximising the building’s utility by carving out dedicated multi-purpose spaces from underutilised areas. New partitions were inserted into the former aisles to establish functional meeting rooms and ancillary spaces. To further expand capacity, the 1837 galleries were enclosed in glass, and the raked seating was floored over to generate additional rooms, showcasing our expertise in executing high-specification commercial alterations within sensitive historic properties.
