A BUILDING site has been made into a work of art while an historic part of Hereford is renovated.

The Old Mayors Parlour in Church Street and Gallery 25 are being spruced up during the next two weeks to bring them into the 21st century.

And while the work is being carried out at the buildings, which date back to the late 14th century, art work is adorning the scaffolding outside.

Colin Richards of CJR Heritage, who are carrying out the work on behalf of the Church Street Charitable Trust, said: "The gallery has used this opportunity to turn what could have been a negative into a positive- to create quite a picturesque place beneath."

Artistic banners adorn the scaffold and a cave like space has been created below with hessian drapes and Victorian hurricane lamps.

New infill panels will be placed between the ancient timbers of the frontage, which will improve the weather protection and insulation of this iconic complex.

The environmentally friendly wood fibre panels and lime render, devised by English Heritage, will replace the 20th century concrete blocks.

Mr Richards said: "A whole new technology has evolved to use the best of our own age with the best of the historic traditional construction to patch them up and keep them going for years to come.

"You almost feel you are touching history really and working alongside the craftsmen that originally constructed it, when you are intervening in a building with this antiquity."

The work is expected to be finished within two weeks.