We’ve done the outside – now the inside of Plymouth’s Guildhall is to be given a makeover to help bring the buzz back to this landmark building.
Contractors TEC Construction will take over the building this week to prepare for a major overhaul that will bring this historic landmark bang up to date for gigs, entertainment events, conferences, training and weddings.
The project will involve installing features such as acoustic curtains in the Great Hall, acoustic panels from the ceiling to improve the sound quality for different types of events. Facility panels will also be provided in the Great Hall to enable event organisers better audio visual connectivity for productions.
Also in the Great Hall, the roof trusses are being strengthened to enable higher spec lighting to be used and modular staging is to be installed offering organisers who hire the building more flexibility.
Toilets on the ground floor and within the Lounge Bar will also be refurbished, and a commercial kitchen installed adjacent to the Great Hall, while outside a ramp for wheelchairs and prams is being created to improve access.
The existing Lounge Bar will be demolished and replaced with a new larger and more modern bar increasing the number of covers and improving the customer experience. The building will also benefit from new lighting in key areas and upgraded WiFi throughout.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Community, said: “This is a massively important building for the city and it deserves to be back in the spotlight and play a bigger part in people’s lives and the life of the city centre.
“It’s played host to some incredible artists – Bowie, Queen and the Who in the 70s, but the needs of bands, orchestras and events organisers have changed over the years. It’s great to see the work get underway.”
The alterations are sympathetic to the building’s character and interior which Historic England describe as a ‘rare and unusually rich example’ of an unaltered `Festival of Britain' interior. There are some glorious touches including an imposing black and white marble staircase, a mural depicting famous sons of Plymouth and the city's maritime history and three stunning 1950s chandeliers.
Over the last few months, the Council has been in discussions with the contractor to value engineer the original specification to reduce the price to a more affordable sum that still delivers the scheme’s key outcomes, which is to create a space in the city centre that will attract a new wave of visitors and users.
A separate programme of restoration for the Guildhall’s exterior has just been completed to clean and repair the effects of decades of pollution and salty sea air, which has damaged stonework and detailing.
Work was carried out in three phases, initially focussing on the northern Royal Parade-facing side and the western tower. The work started at the end of 2022 and scaffolding has recently down from the front of the building to reveal crisp clean stonework. Repairs were also carried out to the wave-shaped awning over the front doors and roof repairs.
A compound is being set up in front of the entrance ahead of work starting in full.
The Guildhall was originally built in the 1870s but reduced to a shell during the Blitz.
It was one of the few damaged buildings to be restored rather than rebuilt, with the restoration continuing through most of the 1950s.
The work is expected to be complete by early summer 2025.
The project will cost in the region of £3.9m and is funded by the Future High Streets Fund.