A new postponement of the historical site’s reopening
Due to significant renovations taking longer than anticipated, the reopening of a landmark cultural facility has been postponed. The Halls project in Norwich, which includes Blackfriars and St Andrews Halls, started construction at the beginning of 2024 and was scheduled to be completed earlier this year.
Norwich City Council postponed the anticipated inauguration date until later in 2025 due to renovations turning out to be more difficult than anticipated. The council has now stated that it will open in the spring of next year, in time to accommodate activities for the May Norfolk and Norwich Festival. “This will kick off wider collaboration with all creative organisations across the city,” stated Claire Kidman, the Labour councillor in charge of wellbeing and culture. The Halls’ 14th-century walls and roof could face “complete failure” if they weren’t fixed, according to a survey, which prompted renovations.
The work was originally anticipated to cost £2.8 million, but after a second study, the bill increased to £7.8 million. The council, which received £3.6 million from the government and £500,000 from Arts Council England, is paying somewhat less than half of the total cost. Last month, a public dispute over who would manage the facility sparked controversy. Although Norwich Arts Centre was chosen to oversee it, it claimed that the possibility of legal challenges from Norwich Theatre had damaged its bid.
The council ultimately declared that it would take over the management of The Halls after Norwich Theatre expressed dissatisfaction with the way the procedure had been conducted. The building’s reopening “as a much-needed venue” that “has been missed” was praised by Green Councillor Jenny Knight. However, she cautioned that there were “serious questions about the running of the procurement process, the council’s relationship with two key stakeholders in the city, and the cost to the public of the repeated failed processes to enable it to be run” .
“We’d like answers on those, as well as a specific opening date,” she said. A council official stated that it was “no secret to say the tender exercise has not exactly gone smoothly, but we’re confident restoration work will be finished soon, so we’re ready for The Halls opening in the spring.” The £3.2 million redevelopment of Hay Hill, another significant transformation project, took nine months longer than anticipated, which is why the venue’s reopening has been delayed.
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