Member Article

Middlesbrough Town Hall’s bid for £4m

Middlesbrough’s iconic Town Hall has been given the green light by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to work up plans ahead of a £4m improvement programme.

The ambitious refurbishment and restoration project will feature major improvements to the much loved neo-Gothic building, offering much wider access visitors, enabling a greater understanding of the history of the building, and creating a unique heritage attraction for the region as a whole.

The Town Hall has applied for almost £4m funding which includes £299,400 development funding.

The grade II-listed Victorian building has been a major icon of the industrial heritage of Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley since it opened in 1889.

Its dominant position in the town centre, where it combines Middlesbrough’s original municipal buildings and Victorian concert hall venue, makes it a key part of the town’s heritage and thriving cultural life.

Councillor Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “The Town Hall is an iconic symbol for the region and a great focal point for the town, so the confirmation that we’re a step closer to major funding is fantastic news.

“If we are successful in winning the full £3.7m, the work it will enable will restore and refurbish important parts of the Town Hall, helping to secure the future of this historic building for many generations to come.”

The proposals include:

• Bringing currently unused spaces of heritage significance back into use.
• Improving/restoring spaces of heritage significance that are currently in use.
• Developing new activities for engagement with, participation in and learning about heritage in both new and restored spaces.
• Revealing the full heritage significance of Middlesbrough Town Hall as an iconic physical representation of the town/wider Teesside area’s historical and industrial heritage.

Ivor Crowther, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North East, said: “The Town Hall is a stunning reminder of the town’s proud industrial heritage and continues to stand as an important local landmark for the community.

“HLF’s initial support marks a crucial first step for exciting plans to reaffirm the building’s social and historic value, secure its long-term future and transform it into a flagship heritage asset for Middlesbrough.”

Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Martin Walker .