WORK to restore Bradford’s historic St George’s Hall will not begin until the end of the year, the latest report into the now £5.4 million project has outlined.

The Grade II* listed hall closed at the end of March to allow the restoration and refurbishment programme to go ahead.

Theatre bosses initially expected the landmark city centre building to be closed for a year, but delays now mean that with a year-long work programme, the hall is expected to be shut for 21 months in total.

A total of £1.5 million has been secured as a grant through the Heritage Lottery Fund, and a further £200,000 still needs to be raised through grants, foundations and donations.

Bradford Council has agreed to fund £2,288,000 of the works, which takes the project to £4m.

In addition a further £917,000 of work is being funded through the authority’s property programme, and £500,000 through its essential maintenance programme, taking the project to a new total of £5.4m.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, whose portfolio at Bradford Council includes culture, said: “The background preparation for the tender pack is taking longer than anticipated due to the complex nature of the works proposed for St George’s Hall.

“We have extended the brief from the original Heritage Lottery Fund award to include improvements to the auditorium and we are now into the tender process for a lead contractor.

“Once a lead contractor has been chosen, it will be possible to give a more accurate timescale of closure.

“In the meantime, we are continuing to programme events that would normally appear at St George’s Hall at the Alhambra Theatre and King’s Hall Winter Gardens, Ilkley.”

In a council report about the 1850s building, Phil Barker, assistant director of sport and culture, outlines that key consultants have already been appointed as part of the Heritage Lottery Fund bid, and that the project team has agreed to appoint a single contractor to co-ordinate all works.

“The principal contractor should be appointed by the beginning of November and be on site for end of the year, with the works taking approximately one year to complete,” he states in the report to the authority’s regeneration and economy overview and scrutiny committee.

The work covers the restoration of the sandstone exterior of the Lockwood and Mawson-designed building, as well as other improvements both inside and out, to preserve heritage features.

This will involved changes to the front of house both on the ground floor and the first floor.

On the ground floor the entrance colonnade will be glazed to provide a new draught-free lobby and the three original entrance doors from Hall Ings will be reinstated, leading into a new open-plan foyer and bar area.

In addition, a hidden mosaic floor in the bar area currently covered by seating and carpets will be exposed. The visual connection to the first floor will be reinstated by using a partial glass ceiling.

There will be a new passenger lift from entrance level to the stalls level and new larger toilet facilities.

On the first floor, there will be a remodelled bar area to include tea, coffee, a concession stand, a larger seating area and the partial glass floor to allow light into ground floor below.

A larger open foyer space will be created into the stalls, and the ceiling in the Gallery Room will be reinstated to its original height.

The first floor toilets will also be reconfigured and refurbished.

The council’s wider programme of works to maintain and improve the building includes essential repairs such as work to the roof, windows, electrics, heating system and stonework.

The report will be discussed at a meeting at Bradford City Hall on Thursday, September 22, from 6pm.

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