AN HISTORIC York building appears virtually unrecognisable as its interior undergoes renovation.

The Assembly Rooms, in Blake Street, which dates back to the 1730s and is now home to York’s Ask Italian restaurant , has been closed since July 2.

An inspection revealed problems with the centuries old plaster ceiling, parts of which were in danger of pulling away from their support.

The York Conservation Trust, which owns the building, is now in the middle of a £250,000 renovation, which involves stripping away the original ceiling, and replacing it with a traditional ceiling of wooden laths and a three-layered coating of lime plaster. It’s a tall order - the ceiling is 40 feet high. Hence the forest of scaffolding in our picture.

The work should be completed by late October.