Bank of England gets a facelift

The Bank of England has just completed a substantial exterior clean thanks to international stone cleaning and restoration specialist, Thomann-Hanry. All work took place over weekends to minimise disruption in the city during the working week.

Thomann-Hanry uses a unique system known as 'façade gommage' which does not require the use of scaffold, enabling businesses to function as normal while works are taking place. Specialist cleaning operatives work from a vacuum cabin attached to an arm mounted on a specially adapted truck. Ultra-fine powder is projected under low pressure onto the façade and removes accumulated pollution deposits without affecting the masonry beneath. No water or chemicals are used in the process. All dirt and spent powder is captured within the cabin and removed for recycling. The system is ideal for historic buildings. Thomann-Hanry also undertook required stone restoration and leadwork repairs as part of the re-vamp. The Bank of England was last cleaned in 1993.

Mark Styles, managing director of Thomann-Hanry, said: “Thomann-Hanry is at the forefront of the exterior stone cleaning industry and has been for a number of years. Cleaning and maintenance work is vital to ensure the preservation of Grade 2 listed buildings such as the Bank of England, and we are very proud to have been able to facilitate the facelift to this iconic city building. Our unique 'façade gommage' technique - which has also cleaned worldwide buildings such as The Ritz in London, Le Louvre in Paris, and the Kremlin in Moscow - is efficient, eco-friendly and secure, making it perfect for buildings such as the Bank of England.”

The works took place across Threadneedle Street, Prince's Street, Lothbury and Bartholomew Lane and covered an area of 10,000 square metres. The exterior wall is known as 'the Soane Wall' after the Bank of England's renowned surveyor, Sir John Soane.

www.thomann-hanry.co.uk