Historic concert venue £8m facelift plans unveiled

King George's Hall in Blackburn, Lancashire

Plans to give Blackburn's historic King George's Hall an £8m facelift have been submitted.

The Grade II heritage listed building, which over the years has hosted the likes of Queen, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, needs extensive roof repairs.

The work would be funded from a £20m grant to Blackburn with Darwen Council from the government's Levelling Up programme.

The council's operations director Martin Eden said: “Like many historic buildings, King George’s Hall is in desperate need of repairs and upgrades both internally and externally."

He added: “Retaining the building’s character and charm is at the forefront of all we are planning to do while making the venue fit for the future.”

The planned works have to be done in keeping with the building's original style and materials.

While its foundation stone was laid by King George V in 1913, construction was paused during World War One, when the building was used as a Red Cross hospital.

It was formally opened in October 1921.