Lefebvre and Space

As a space originally intended as a social place populated by outdoor eateries, foliage and seating areas, the courtyard overlooking a main route through the town of Skipton has become that of an anti-social space - used by youths as a hang-out, causing the area to become desolate because of its new associations with youth culture and the term "hoodies". The council's attempt at regenerating the mill as town centre accommodation has undoubtably revived the otherwise empty buildings, but the early signs of its gradual reputation from an edgy place-to-be to a 

Originally operating as a spinning and weaving mill in the early 1900's, up until the late 20th century when the site was bought by local cards manufacturers Kingsley Cards, until its closure in 2006. Since then building and maintenance work has been carried out for four years, restoring the space as modern and affordable accommodation. 

Now also used to rehouse Craven District Council's offices, the development was met with disagreement as a controversial agreement involving moving the offices only half a mile from the original premises, and costing an estimated £3,468,000 of taxpayer's money. This is potentially why the site's reputation alone has been in decline, and the promises made by developers to house a new shopping arcade have so far not been met.

In its initial construction, the council and the wool industry as a whole intended for the Bellevue unit to operate souly as a factory, but in the industry's decline, the emergence of a print company like Kingsley Cards, the later dominance of alternative and online greetings cards, and now the introduction of a retail and housing development, the Bellevue Mills have changed considerably over 200 years.