A decision will be made on the future of Preston Guild Hall within the next year, Preston City Council has now confirmed.
The authority confirmed that the preference is that Preston get a modern concert venue and exhibition centre but said that the estimated cost of £60-100m is currently beyond them.
Preston City Council now plans to explore external sources of funding to build a new venue, alongside costing exercises to determine how much would be needed to repair and renovate the existing building.
Both the Grand Hall and the Charter Theatre are unsafe to enter due to the way the ceiling was constructed.
The goal is to have an operational venue in time for the Guild celebrations in 2032 at the latest.
Cllr Martyn Rawlinson, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources for Preston City Council, said: “We can all agree that the best outcome for Preston in the long term would be to deliver a new multi-functional, modern entertainment, concert and conference/exhibition centre, something that the city has been without for the past five years, and desperately needs to attract footfall and visitor spend in the city centre.
“The cost of delivering a new build scheme of this size and scale, is currently beyond this Council’s budget and quite possibly beyond any future unitary Council’s budget, post Local Government Reorganisation. Ballpark costs have been quoted in the region of £60-£100m. We will spend a maximum of one year exploring options available to us, to see whether it is feasible to raise the funding for such a project.
“At the same time, we will cost the current renovations which include a new roof and bringing all fixtures and fittings up to current requirements, making it fit for purpose as a modern venue for smaller scale concert and touring shows. Within 12 months, we will know what the best option is and then aim for an operational venue in time for the Guild celebrations in 2032 or sooner.
“It’s a big ask, but one that the city needs and we are committed to bringing about a solution for the Guild Hall one way or another.”
The venue has been closed since 2019 after being declared financially unsustainable by then-owner Simon Rigby. Preston City Council seized back control of the venue later that year and a legal battle continued until 2023 despite Rigby’s death in 2020.
In September 2023, amid plans for reopening the venue, it was announced there was suspected RAAC within the roof and so the Guild Hall could not reopen.
Reporting by Blog Preston in 2024 confirmed the venue was costing Preston City Council around £2,000 a day to stand empty. The Guild Lounge venue has bene operating in the foyer of the Guild Hall.
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