Preston’s MP has written directly to the Secretary of State appealing for her to heed our call for Preston have a major venue again.
Veteran Labour backbencher, Sir Mark Hendrick, tabled the letter into the Culture Secretary’s in-tray during Thursday (12 March) afternoon.
His intervention comes less than 24-hours after we launched a petition urging the government to intervene and pledge their support for solving the lack of a major venue in the city since the Guild Hall closed in 2019.
Writing to Lisa Nandy MP, Sir Mark says he wants to see if ‘the government could explore significant investment to reinstate a large scale cultural hub in the heart of our city’.
More than 350 people have already signed our call for the government to support getting a major venue back in the city – after last week’s announcement by Preston City Council that they would spend a further 12 months considering options regarding the Guild Hall.
Sir Mark’s call for action comes alongside Preston Business Improvement District who have urged people to support our petition and have said all city centre members want to see action taken for a ‘large-scale modern venue facility in the city’.
Sir Mark’s letter in full, dated 12 March 2026
Dear The Rt Hon Lisa Nandy MP
I am writing to you regarding concerns about the future of Preston Guild Hall, a large-scale entertainment venue located in the centre of my constituency.
Opened in 1973, the Guild Hall is an iconic landmark in the centre of Preston. Many Prestonians have fond memories across the years, of attending events such as concerts, plays, graduation ceremonies, balls, and exhibitions.
The complex also housed many popular shops within its 1970s-styled walls. Many people from across the North West frequented this venue and it contributed significantly to the local economy.
Sadly, the Guild Hall has been closed since 2019, and with the potential further twelve month delay, there is no clear timeline for when a major venue will be operating again within the city.
The Guild Hall has been vital for our children, communities, city centre businesses and nightlife. It is essential that Preston has a major cultural venue in our city, given that it is the third largest city in the North West after Liverpool and Manchester. My constituents have been left without a cultural venue to celebrate, enjoy and socialise for far too long and regeneration in this area is very much needed. Investment in our city centre is fundamental to ensuring that Preston has a viable cultural offer.
I would be grateful if the Government could explore significant investment to reinstate a large-scale cultural hub in the heart of our city.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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You can see the full petition on Change.org and add your signature.
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