Parts of Manchester Town Hall have been closed off to the public after issues were found in the ceiling above the council chamber. The chamber, located in the Manchester Town Hall Extension, was built between 1934 and 1938 and is Grade II* listed.
A warning sign in the building said: “Danger. Building works in progress. Do not enter.” The Manchester Evening News understands the ceiling of the council chamber is not believed to be at risk of collapse.
Precautionary closure
A Manchester City Council spokesperson said: “The council chamber is temporarily closed until a detailed inspection can be carried out. This follows the identification of slight irregularities in the ceiling and is purely a precautionary measure.”
The building was designed by architect E. Vincent Harris and was opened by King George VI in 1938. Between 2010 and 2014, the town hall extension and the Central Library were restored and refurbished.
Restoration of the main town hall
Manchester City Council is also currently restoring Manchester Town Hall next door. Scaffolding has started to come down on parts of the Grade I-listed building ahead of the expected completion of the works in spring 2027.
Once the restoration is finished, a period of testing and fit-outs will take place lasting a few weeks until its doors are open to the public. The town hall closed its doors in 2018, and the cost of the works is expected to be around £524m.
In July, Coun Bridges said: “Our Town Hall is a national treasure which we hold in trust for the people of Manchester.”
“We can’t wait to share it with them again – not only repaired, restored and ready for another 150 years at the heart of the city but also more accessible to the public than ever before.”
“This will include a visitor centre for the first time telling the story of the building and its role in the city.”
“As the biggest heritage project the UK has seen for many years, it’s been a marathon rather than a middle-distance race but we’re beginning to enter the closing stages now and you can start to see visible signs of that – from the successful reopening of Albert Square, which just this weekend hosted the finale of Manchester Day, to the scaffolding being removed from large parts of the exterior.”
A July report said: “The installation of the first set of heritage chandeliers has been completed, and radiator installation has commenced on level seven and the last slate has been fitted to the roof.”
“The organ in the Great Hall has begun to be reinstated after its restoration and the visitor experience fit out is progressing well.”
“The project has increased site operatives and workfaces to improve completion rates with the first rooms being inspected for completion.”
“The project is still planning for works to be completed in Spring 2027, and the forecast is in line with this date.”
