Morrisons and Binswood among Leamington Society Awards winners

Morrisons at the Old Ford Foundry site in Leamington has won a Leamington Society Award for its architecture and design. Photo by Dennis Gilbert/View

The awards, for which a ceremony was held at the Dormer Conference Centre last Thursday, are given for good design and attention to detail in the small things as well as the large which contribute to the overall quality of Leamington and reassert the fine architecture and civic spaces in the town.

The award winners selected from 33 nominations - all projects completed within the last two years - varied from period to contemporary and included the Station House student accommodation opposite Leamington Station and Morrisons supermarket on the old Ford Foundry site.

Judge Richard Ashworth, chairman of the Leamington Society, said: “It is good to have a supermarket which is more than a box structure with a few frills added to the outside.

“We thought the Morrisons supermarket building is an elegant and substantial improvement to the area. It has a sleek, modern well-articulated facade, with appropriate quality materials and careful attention to detail. We particularly enjoyed the well-proportioned stylish clock.

Binswood Hall, the 19th century listed school building now converted by Audley into a luxury retirement village, was also recognised.

Carluccio’s cafe in Satchwell Court and Costcutter in Warwick Road were the other businesses to win an award.

Warwick district and Leamington Town councils won an award for the care and thought devoted to Christchurch Gardens as did Network Rail for its new lighting at Leamington station - restored with period copies.

Foundry Wood, a nature reserve created by volunteers near the old Ford Foundry site, was also selected.

The most nominations were for individual homes and house improvement projects and The Bill Gibbons cup for the best of these was won by 43 Lillington Road.

The winners were

* Student Accommodation, Old Warwick Road

* Carluccio’s

* Old Library,Avenue Road

* Foundry Wood

*Kang’s Costcutter,

*31 North Villiers Street

*9 Clarendon Crescent

*14 Rotherfield Close

*76 Leam Terrace

*78 Leam Terrace

*Binswood Hall,

*21 Beauchamp Hill

*Christchurch Gardens

*43 Lillington Road

*49 Beauchamp Avenue

*Morrisons supermarket,

*Landscaping to the Old Library,

*External Lighting, Leamington Station