New delay for reopening of historical venue

Work has been taking place on The Halls since the start of last year

The reopening of a historical cultural venue has been put back again, with major refurbishment work taking longer than expected.

Work on The Halls in Norwich – comprising St Andrews and Blackfriars Halls – began at the start of 2024 and was due to finish earlier this year.

With repairs proving more complicated than planned, Norwich City Council moved the expected opening date to later in 2025.

However, the council has now said it will open next Spring – in time to host events for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival in May.

"This will kick off wider collaboration with all creative organisations across the city," said Claire Kidman, the Labour councillor responsible for culture and wellbeing.

"Next year the city will see its fully restored medieval gem sparkle once again."

The Grade I listed building has been used for public events since 1544

Refurbishment of The Halls – which date back to the 14th Century – was started after a survey found its walls and roof could face "complete failure" unless they were repaired.

The estimated price of the work was initially £2.8m, but following another survey the bill rose to £7.8m.

Just under half of the cost is being covered by the council, which received £3.6m from the government and £500,000 from Arts Council England.

Controversy was caused last month when a public row broke out over who would run the venue.

Norwich Arts Centre had been selected to manage it, but it said its bid had been undermined by the threat of legal challenges from Norwich Theatre.

Norwich Theatre said it was unhappy about how the process had been handled and, in the end, the council said it would take on the running of The Halls.

'Serious questions'

Green councillor Jenny Knight welcomed the news the building would be reopening "as a much-needed venue" which "has been missed".

However, she warned there were "serious questions about the running of the procurement process, the council's relationship with two key stakeholders in the city, and the cost to the public of the repeated failed processes to enable it to be run".

"We'd like answers on those, as well as a specific opening date," she added.

A spokesman for the council said it was "no secret to say the tender exercise has not exactly gone smoothly, but we're confident restoration work will be finished soon, so we're ready for The Halls opening in the spring."

The delay in the reopening of the venue comes after another major transformation project - the £3.2m redevelopment of Hay Hill - took nine months longer than expected.