Tired Kirklees town halls set for £2m refurbishment

Huddersfield Town Hall is one of the venues set for a refurbishment

Nearly £2m is to be spent on refurbishing tired and neglected town halls in West Yorkshire to help them compete with other hospitality venues.

Kirklees Council wants to update the decor at buildings in Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Cleckheaton and Batley.

A council report said investment in essential repairs had not been matched by improvements to their appearance.

It said the situation was "severely limiting opportunities to generate a financial return".

The report said it was necessary to improve the internal appearance of the venues in order to keep up with competitors.

It said: "Significant sums have been invested in the essential fabric of a building, but because there has been no associated enhancement of décor, fittings, fixtures and equipment, the building is no more appealing to customers or hirers than it was prior to the investment."

'Maximise opportunities'

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Kirklees Council has already spent £400,000 on improving civic buildings during the Covid lockdown period.

It has now released a further £1.835m to refurbish or replace outdated decor, as well as poor theatre seating, lighting, toilets and hospitality facilities over the next five years.

Councillor Will Simpson said the investment was about regenerating "heritage buildings" to put them at the heart of local communities "for years to come, and to maximise the opportunities that we have from them".

He said that investment would result in "considerable returns".