Housebuilder Morris is currently working hard to restore one of Coventry’s most historic buildings, Copsewood Grange, converting it into a collection of beautiful apartments that will form part of The Spires development and pay homage to the site’s rich heritage.

Built in 1872 by James Hart, a ribbon manufacturer, The Grange was later sold to Peel Conner Telephone, which became the General Electric Company (GEC) in the 1920s.

This weekend, Morris invited retired members of the GEC reunion club to come back to The Grange and see the work being carried out to restore the building to its former glory.

Graham Simms, Bob Taylor and Dave McBride all worked at Copsewood Grange for most of their careers from the 1960’s to the 1990s, spending many happy times in and around the buildings that Morris is now renovating.

The Grange was used as a residence and social centre for GEC’s employees when the manufacture of telephone equipment was transferred from Salford to Coventry, and Graham remembers its reputation as one of the best staff clubs in the area.

Commenting on his visit to the Morris development, he said:

“We have so many fantastic memories of The Grange and it’s wonderful to see the work that Morris is doing to make sure the building doesn’t fall to ruin. We’re thrilled that we were invited to see the work being carried out to keep the history of The Grange alive.”

In addition to its interesting heritage, The Grange also has connections with the film industry. In 1968, a famous scene from The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine, was filmed at the site.

Speaking about the development and the restoration of The Grange, Dominic Harman, Regional Director at Morris, said:

“The Grange has a fascinating background and we wanted to invite some of the former GEC workers to the site so they can see how we’re hoping to preserve some of the building’s unique heritage.

The restoration will see a lot of The Grange’s original features protected and the finished building will nod to the site’s colourful history.”

The first plots at The Spires have now been released for potential homeowners, with prices starting from just £219,750.

To find out more visit The Spires, Brindle Avenue, Coventry, CV3 1JG, between 10.30am and 5.30pm Thursday to Monday, call 024 7699 1741, or visit www.morrishomes.co.uk/developments/the-grange