Preston Guild Hall: Reopening plan being drawn up by council

Options are being looked at for the future of Preston's Guild Hall, the city council says

Options to get Preston's Guild Hall back in business are being drawn up after a legal battle over the city council's takeover of it has concluded.

It was closed in 2019 after the firm running it went into administration.

The owner Simon Rigby who died in 2020 had bought the venue from the council for £1 in 2014 after it said it could no longer afford to operate it.

Council leader, Matthew Brown said the "iconic Guild Hall can now look forward to a bright future once more".

The Guild Hall and Charter Theatre opened in 1973. Over the years, it hosted major snooker events and the likes of Queen and David Bowie performed there but it was shut in May 2019.

A month later, the city council retook control of the site, prompting the protracted legal battle which has now ended.

Mr Rigby was one of multiple claimants against the authority in a case to determine whether it had acted legally in seizing the property, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

The city council said it had reached "terms of settlement" with all of the outstanding claimants - the details of which are confidential under that agreement.

Preston City Council leader Matthew Brown says the Guild Hall can look forward to a "bright future"

Mr Brown said the authority would now be "exploring all options in order to give the building a new lease of life and a viable future".

"The much-loved [venue] is vital to the economy of the city and we know our residents will be glad to hear the good news," the Labour leader added.

Town Hall officers will develop a range of potential operating models which will be presented to councillors.

Money for renovations is available within the council's wider capital programme although it was not mentioned specifically when the budget was revealed, the LDRS said.

Mark Whittle, manager of Preston's Business Improvement District, said the closure of the Guild Hall had had a "measurable impact" on the city centre economy.

"Having a professional and experienced operator to take charge of the venue would be a major step forward for Preston," he said.

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