Preston's Harris Museum: Reopening delayed over unexpected issues

Preston's Harris Museum is undergoing a £16.2m renovation and was due to open in 2024

The reopening of an historic museum has been delayed after the project was hit by a series of setbacks.

Preston's Harris Museum closed two years ago to undergo a £16.2m renovation programme and was due to open in 2024.

The discovery of unexpected asbestos, required boiler works and additional fire safety works have been blamed.

Lancashire County Council's Peter Kelly said it was important the work was "completed to the highest standards".

'Little things'

The museum is now excepted to open to visitors in spring 2025.

Michael Conlon of Conlon Construction, the lead contractor on the project, said it was not not unusual for "things to come up that you don't expect" when working on such an old building.

He said that no single issue had caused the timetable to slip, but rather "continual little things which have mounted and mounted".

More asbestos than had been anticipated has been discovered, including within the venue's lantern glass panes; new boilers and replacement boiler flues are needed and additional fire safety work will also need to be carried out.

The project team has also dropped plans for an additional lift, because of the challenge of building it within the building's existing foundations.

The delay will not increase the overall bill for the project as money will come from a contingency fund, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Conlon said all works must meet regulations set by Heritage England and it was "a rare privilege to act as custodians during the restoration of such an important building".

"We want to make sure we do it properly," he said.

Peter Kelly, cabinet member for arts and culture, thanked the public for its "continued support and patience".

He said the authority recognised "the importance of preserving our cultural heritage and this extension ensures that the necessary work can be completed to the highest standards".

Preston Harris Library service and IT Centre will remain open to the public at a temporary location in the Guild Hall.