THE second phase of work on the Royal Liver Building has now begun, following on from Claremont Group Interiors’ completion of the west entrance.

The second stage involves completing design and refurbishment works to the main ground floor north-south corridor and the west entrance atrium.

Claremont was successful in putting forward a design concept which will effectively restore the north/south corridor and west entrance atrium to their former glory, complementing and linking the completed west entrance reception and central corridors on the upper floors.

The existing interiors will be stripped back, all existing features will be retained and made good, and quality lighting, decoration, graphics and fittings will be installed.

Peter Fane, head of property at Royal Liver Assurance, said: “The work Claremont is doing will give a modern twist to the original layout of the building.

“Over time, a lot of the features have been lost and Claremont is undertaking a sensitive refurbishment to strip everything back to show the interior as it should be seen.”

The building was designed more than a century ago by Birkenhead-born Aubrey Thomas as a headquarters for Royal Liver, which still owns it.

The foundation stone was laid on May 11, 1908, and the building was opened on July 19, 1911.

Mike Gardner, managing director of Claremont, said: “As one of Liverpool’s most renowned buildings, it is important to bring back as many of the original features as possible while upgrading the space to match modern-day requirements.

“Claremont has worked with Royal Liver Assurance to make sure that the building gets the best of both worlds.”

The building is already a popular choice for companies looking to move into one of the UK’s most iconic buildings. Claremont hopes the ongoing refurbishment project will make the building even more appealing to professional companies.

The first phase of the project, which cost £970,000, saw the West Entrance and reception area refurbished.