The Town Hall is being refurbished as part of the new £30 million project, £20 million of which will go towards essential repair and heritage work. The redevelopment will mean it can be removed from the English Heritage at risk register.
The redevelopment is being led by arts and media company the Time and Space Co, which will also operate the new arts venue once it reopens.
The main performance space – the building’s assembly hall – will be refurbished to seat 400, with a standing capacity of 1,500. The building’s council chamber will also be converted into a more intimate, flexible performance space. Plans have also been approved for a boutique hotel and residential units which will be build behind the Town Hall in what is currently unoccupied land.
The Town Hall will be run as a receiving venue at first, but once it has reopened an artistic director will be appointed to take charge of its artistic programme and begin developing work in-house. It is hoped the building will be operational for 18 hours every day, through rehearsal space, recording studios, collaborative working areas and several restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as a cinema and theatre.
