Guild Hall future 'a priority' over new arena

Preston Guild Hall has been closed since 2019

The future of Preston's Guild Hall is "a priority" over a new arena, the council has said.

The venue, which opened in 1973, has been closed since 2019 amid the collapse of the company then operating it.

It was set to reopen in 2023 but was delayed after the discovery of the crumbling concrete Raac.

A Preston City Council representative said work was progressing on the "complex" site and the authority was establishing the venue's future.

Preston has been without a flagship entertainment space for more than five years

It follows the authority's cabinet member for culture recently floating the idea of a new facility as possibly being the "next big project" for Preston.

While stressing any such proposal would have to be "viable", Labour's Anna Hindle said the city was "super ambitious".

Preston has been without a flagship entertainment space for more than five years.

A council representative told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the focus remained firmly on the Guild Hall.

"A new arena for Lancashire, based in Preston, would be fantastic and is something that we are willing to consider - however, it is too early to make any commitment to such a project," they said.

"Our priority at the moment remains the Guild Hall and whether we can viably reopen it fully as a premier cultural venue for the city."

The Labour-led council is currently awaiting a report from structural engineers following a recent roof inspection and the removal of asbestos.

Liberal Democrat opposition group leader John Potter has also previously suggested the council looked at a long-term future without the Guild Hall, due to the finite lifespan of the building.

The 350-seater Guild Lounge, which was formerly the Guild Hall foyer, opened in October and has events scheduled until spring.