Town hall revamp cost rises by £95m in further delay

The restoration of the Victorian venue is expected to cost £525m, officials say

The refurbishment of Manchester Town Hall will cost another £95m and is expected to finish in spring 2027, council chiefs say.

The Grade-I listed Victorian structure shut in 2018 for the revamp, which was then expected to be completed by 2024.

However the coronavirus pandemic and other delays saw costs and duration increase, with the budget now expected to be £524.8m.

Garry Bridges, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said the authority was "frustrated" at the latest delay and spiralling bill, but he believed no further money would be needed.

"If we had not acted decisively to invest in the future of this Victorian masterpiece - many parts of which were reaching the end of their natural lifespans - we would have seen it become unusable and obsolete," he said.

Free attraction

In the past year, a number of contractors have gone bust, causing knock-on delays as parts of the work were not finished as scheduled.

Project bosses have denied suggestions that construction firms were taking the council for a ride, insisting every taxpayer-funded penny spent was being scrutinised.

They also did not believe an insistence to spend a portion of the budget on local companies had slimmed down the pool of available firms to the point where not enough were available to complete the work quickly.

Councillor Bridges hoped the town hall would reopen before the 160th anniversary of its 1868 reopening.

"When town halls like ours were built in the 19th Century, most Mancunians were excluded from them.

"But we want to give the building back to the people - inviting them to a new free visitor attraction and to share in a cultural programme around its reopening."

BBC Repair Shop horologist Steve Fletcher saw the restoration of the clock face at Manchester Town Hall

The Christmas Markets have returned to Albert Square this year, drawing many thousands of visitors outside the historic venue.

Earlier this year, BBC show Repair Shop also featured the restoration of the clock face.