The City of Stoke-on-Trent Council handed GF Tomlinson a £6.5m contract to restore Longton Town Hall, Hanley Market Hall and Tunstall Town Hall.
The Hanley and Longton schemes were completed last year; work to Tunstall Town Hall is ongoing.
Tunstall Town Hall is a Grade II Listed building that dates back to 1854. Many of its timber beams and much of the front façade are decaying.
The restoration process includes installing new windows and flitch beams along with stone and masonry replacement and external re-pointing. Internally it will undergo an extensive upgrade including new walls, floors and ceilings, decorated in heritage paints to the exact colours they would have been when first built.
Due to be completed in spring 2021, the hall will also include two shop units, a children’s centre and a library, as well as rentable office space, to create a community facility.
GF Tomlinson director Chris Flint, director at G F Tomlinson, said: “With extensive experience working on restoration, heritage and community projects across the region, it has been a real pleasure for us to work on the regeneration of these historic halls in the West Midlands city of Stoke-on-Trent.
“We’re really pleased with the results of Longton Town Hall and Hanley Market Hall – our team and supply team have done an amazing job and we look forward to seeing Tunstall follow suit.”
Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, infrastructure and heritage at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We understand how important our historic buildings are. The town halls in Tunstall and Longton are fantastic assets and provide a constant reminder of how rich in heritage our city is.
“The aim of the work is to not only invest in their heritage, but also to make them modern, fit-for-purpose buildings that breathe new life into the high street, and ensure the community can access face-to-face services. Along with the improvements to Hanley Indoor Market, the work at Longton and Tunstall directly benefit the markets which are connected to both buildings, so we are really seeing a range of benefits from this investment into our heritage.”
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