Stamford Municipal Almshouses Charity impressed with refurbished Hopkins Hospital in St Peter’s Street

Historic town almshouses have been transformed from uninhabitable rooms to modern flats.

Residents at Hopkins Hospital have now settled into their refurbished flats in St Peter’s Street, Stamford.

The building, named after former mayor John Hopkins, dates back to 1773 with an extension added in 1869.

Originally it was intended for poor married couples with four rooms on each floor.

Today it continues to be used by people in financial and social need from Stamford who pay a small amount of rent.

A tenant, who wished not to be named, thanked the charity for the new flat.

“I feel very lucky to be given the opportunity to live here,” they said.

“It is a fantastic place - very warm and comfortable.

“I am a happy bunny.”

As part of the £110,000 refurbishment the small flats were knocked through to create two upstairs and two downstairs.

Clerk to the Stamford Municipal Almshouses Charity, Anne O’Grady, describes the condition of the flats, some of which hadn’t been lived in for years, as something you ‘couldn’t imagine’ and ‘absolutely terrible’.

She said they had become uninhabitable.

Hopkins Hospital was the first of the charity’s buildings to be upgraded.

Next on the list is Fryer’s Callis in Wothorpe Road which the charity is fundraising for after Hopkins Hospital refurbishment emptied the bank accounts.

Leader of South Kesteven District Council Richard Cleaver (Ind) was given a tour of the flats on September 8 to see the refurbishment.

“I am really impressed,” he said.

“It is always great to see wonderful historic buildings properly maintained for the good of the community with happy tenants.”

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