Cardiff: St David's Hall roof to be replaced over Raac

Performances in November and December at St David's Hall have already been moved or cancelled

The roof of a major Cardiff concert venue will need to be completely replaced after an inspection found that concrete panels in the ceiling could collapse.

St David's Hall will be shut for 18 more months as a new roof is installed.

It initially closed in September for four weeks so an inspection could be undertaken into suspected reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The target is to reopen it for Cardiff Singer of the World in July 2025.

Experts who have been carrying out checks on the venue said several panels in the roof are "red-critical" and others are "red-high risk".

• Venue moves pre-Christmas shows due to Raac

• Raac extends St David's Hall closure to 2024

Raac is a type of lightweight concrete which is prone to sudden failure as it ages and is found to have a limited lifespan.

The Unison union has been told by the council there will be no immediate job losses as a result of the investigations into Raac in the building

Major venue operator Academy Music Group (AMG) has told the council it remains committed to investing in the hall and wishes to proceed with a transaction that will see it take on the running of the building, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A Cardiff council spokesperson added: "We know this will cause a lot of inconvenience and disappointment for our customers, but we hope they will understand that the safety of audiences, staff, artists, volunteers, and everyone at the venue is paramount.

"We will be in contact with promoters and hirers to discuss the potential for moving performances to other venues."

Although AMG said it remains committed to taking on the running of the hall, the company has asked the council to consider its lease being conditional for a period.

This would mean that AMG would not take on the full lease to run the venue until planning approval and listed building consent for the works are acquired.

If this happens, AMG will pay for the roof replacement and refurbishment works.

By having the operation of the hall taken off its hands, the council could save up to £1m at a time when it is facing a budget gap of £24m.

The Unison union, which represents staff at the venue, said it was told in a meeting with the council last week that there would be no immediate job losses as a result of the investigations into Raac in the building.