The financial package to restore and refurbish one of Sheffield’s most well-loved entertainment venues and secure its long-term future will be presented to Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 14th January.

A £12.57 million funding package, the last few details of which are being finalised, that includes contributions from Objective One, the City Council and the Single Regeneration Budget, will refurbish and restore Sheffield’s City Hall.

The restoration will begin in May 2004. It will be closed for just one Autumn/Winter season, reopening in September 2005.

City Hall opened more than 70 years ago in 1932. It’s a grade II* listed building. The restoration will allow City Hall to become a premier venue in the county for conferences, offer a far better concert and entertainment programme, stimulate community arts and play a stronger role in music education and learning. With the range of performance spaces on offer the refurbished and restored City Hall will be the ideal venue for a wide variety of arts activities.

Restoring City Hall is also part of Sheffield City Centre’s regeneration. The Hall itself, and its immediate surroundings – Barkers Pool and the City Hall Precincts – are all included in plans to create an even better, good quality, lively environment. A restored and enhanced City Hall will attract more business into Sheffield.

Cllr Jan Wilson, Leader of the City Council said: “All the pieces of the jigsaw are now coming into place. City Hall has a special place in the hearts of everyone in Sheffield. This restoration and refurbishment package will allow us to give future generations an even better City Hall. That benefits local people, our economy and strengthens our growing regional reputation for arts and entertainment.”

Its about time. Let's hope they don't put up the prices to pay for it and that there is a good balance of events.

I think someone said that there was no investment in this city!?
They're probably not cultured enough to go see any of the shows at city hall (even if they do cater for all tastes). But even they must say it will be money worth spent?

I'm delighted the City Hall is getting funding. I've never been inside, but I think it's a glorious historical reminder for the city.

I believe it narrowly avoided being destroyed in WWII (a bomb landed next to it on Barkers Pool, showering the front of the building with shrapnel. Look again and you'll see the big squares on the the front columns where the damage was repaired).

It's a pity it can't stand up against modern-day depressed Generation-Xers spraying the building with graffitti.

This may be leading off the original topic but we (ambassadors) are working with the police and the city hall to combat this problem of grffiti and louts hanging about causing problems. I will take a personal interest to this as I love the city hall, infact i'm there sat for a 70's and 80's flashback (80's for me as i'm only 21)

What's the empty looking building to the left and up the road a bit from City Hall? It's another haunt for kids (and therefore tons of rubbish) but it seems completely dead? I've been meaning to find out the name for years, but keep forgetting by the time I get home! It's basically on your left if you walk up the side street towards Edwards bar (now Reflex).

It's the old National union of miners (N.U.M) HQ, not sure when it was built but the plans for that is to (suprise) knock it down as part of the new retail quater, replacing it with apartments and a bar with some shops.

The NUM building was built when Arthur Scargill was the boss. How many other newish buildings are set for demolition. The nightclub opposite Coles, the fire station and the town hall extension.

Geoff you beat me to it i was just about to create this thread after reading on this mornings paper round in the Sheffield Telegraph

Grrr give people a chance!!! :mad:

Sadly the plans include flattening the sloping floor in the Memorial Hall at the back of the City Hall.
Hope they don't muck it up -the Memorial Hall is one of the best
intimate venues in the North.