Mill ‘idiots’ smash up lights after £1m work

TWO East Riding councillors have said they are worried that the area around a recently restored 200-year-old mill could become a target for vandals.

Hessle ward’s Coun David Nolan said it was a “shame” that the lights had been smashed before the Black Mill had the chance to open following restoration works costing almost £1m.

Coun Phil Davison, also of the Hessle ward, said the part of the Foreshore area that the mill is in close to the Humber Bridge Country Park was known to attract antisocial behaviour.

Both called for anyone with information about the incident, which took place close to a refurbished children’s play area, to come forward.

An East Riding Council spokesperson said the authority’s investigations remain ongoing.

The vandalism comes in the wake of £968,869 being spent in works to restore the building which is one of the only windpowered industrial mills of its era left in the country.

The restoration of the mill, which once ground chalk into whiting for roads, paint and other goods, was backed by £724,000 in National Lottery heritage funding.

Coun Nolan said the vandals had hit a site which he hoped would put Hessle “on the map” for tourists.

The Liberal Democrat said: “This is an almost £1m project designed to make that part of the Foreshore more of a landmark.

“The lighting was designed to illuminate the mill at night.

“It’s awful that some idiots did this before it could even reopen.”

The mill was built between 1810 and 1815. It was due to reopen last spring but that was delayed because of the pandemic .