Sheffield Town Hall could finally be restored and refurbished as iconic building ‘showing its age’

Sheffield’s iconic 125-year-old town hall will need to be restored and refurbished as the building has started to show its age.

Sheffield City Council’s strategy and resources policy committee will discuss a report that recommends members agree to progress to the next step of developing and delivering a restored and sustainable town hall.

Sheffield Town Hall, a Grade I listed building, was opened in 1897 by Queen Victoria. While it has been regularly maintained, the building is now having some issues that need sorting, including:

• Accessibility, building fabric, fire safety, mechanical and electrical services and structural issues

• Redundant, dilapidated and underutilised spaces

• Outdated services and facilities

• Deteriorating heritage

A report made before the committee meeting noted: “In March 2023, the Essential Compliance and Maintenance Asset Management Plan Report to finance sub-committee highlighted the need for £25million over five years to refurbish the Town Hall.

“This estimate will need updating to reflect price increases and further deterioration.”

Since 2018, the report added, a series of localised reactive emergency works have been necessary because of continued building failure to secure safety of occupants and prevent partial or full closure of the building.

These have included repairs and restoration of the main atrium structure and fire safety works.

There continues to be new building failures requiring management and risk mitigation, including most recently the ongoing review of the original 1897 windows.

A commission concluded that town hall “requires major repair works to address the severe compliance, defects and backlog maintenance issues to improve building efficiencies, preserve historic and heritage features, and prevent further deterioration”.

Members of the S&R committee will discuss how to move forward at 2pm next Wednesday (January 21) at Sheffield Town Hall.

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