The completion date for restoration work on Skipton Town Hall has been pushed back into 2023 because of a delay in sourcing stone supplies.
Work on the historic Grade II-listed building frontage began earlier this year using funding secured from Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zones grants programme.
But he project has experienced delays in acquiring a specific stone type to replace the deteriorated stone and match the existing colour. Because of this, Craven District Council says works are now set to be complete in the New Year.
In the final phase of the building's redevelopment, repair work has been completed to the roof, cleaning and descaling of the front, joinery works and redecoration of windows, plastering and replacement lighting, plus 90% completion of the repointing work to the façade.
Scaffolding will be removed later this week while more low level plastering is undertaken and new hand rails are to be installed. Following in January the building will also see new doors, along with new signage and the installation of its flagpole.
The project will also see refurbished telephone kiosks reinstalled in front of the Skipton Town Hall, along with new furniture and planters to the setts. The kiosks will become extensions of the museum and gallery inside the Town Hall and staff will be working with heritage groups and creatives to reimagine these spaces.
Skipton Town Hall, which is owned and managed by Craven District Council, reopened its doors to the public in June 2021 after a £5 million restoration project to the main building. The major scheme involved restoration and refurbishment of the museum and the building of a museum store; and creation of a new build extension for a dedicated education room, dressing rooms for the Concert Hall performance space and additional facilities including a Changing Places Toilet.
Chairman of Craven District Council and lead member for Enterprising Craven, Cllr Simon Myers said: “The plans are exciting and carefully considered and the end result promises to be something special. While there are delays due to the sourcing of the correct stone, I am pleased to see the completion of the works so far and I am confident works will be complete by the end of January 2023.”
Danielle Daglan, the Council’s Cultural Services Manager, added: "We’re pleased with the work undertaken so far and are looking forward to full completion of the project. We are obviously disappointed that works could not be undertaken all together within the original timeframe, but challenges are being felt across the building sector at the moment and so we will manage the delay as best we can, ensuring the venue looks as good as possible for Christmas and then looking ahead to the final detail completion not long after that in the New Year.”
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