Contract agreed to start transformation of Kidderminster Town Hall

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12/12/23

Contract agreed to start transformation of Kidderminster Town Hall

Plans to transform the Grade II Listed Kidderminster Town Council have taken another step forward, with the development contract awarded to regional construction firm, Speller Metcalfe.

Work on site is about to begin to create a bright new cultural, music and community meeting space which will attract visitors for years to come.

Cllr David Ross and managing director, James Speller

Officially opened in January, 1855, the Corn Exchange was established as a public building ‘erected for all classes and without political agenda’.

Now almost 170 years later, an £8.5m development will see a ‘sensitive regeneration’ of the original site, with the aim of maintaining original features as far as possible, while creating a space which is more accessible and user-friendly for staff and visitors.

Councillor David Ross, leader of Kidderminster Town Council said: “We are pleased to be working with Speller Metcalfe and our partners to deliver a Town Hall that Kidderminster residents can be proud of, and we’re looking forward to the return of a much-loved heritage venue for arts and entertainment and community gathering.

“When the doors open, the venue will help breathe new life back into the town centre whilst still maintaining its vital local government functions.”

The project is one of three major Kidderminster projects totalling £17.9 million, which have been funded through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund – a project-specific fund to improve local areas across the country, including local transport schemes, urban regeneration projects and cultural assets.

Additional schemes include £9.6m for the acquisition and conversion of the Piano Building and £679k to deliver canal tow path resurfacing improvement works with Worcestershire County Council.

Speller Metcalfe was awarded the contract, and have been advising on the scheme during the development and planning stages. They have a history of delivering high quality, listed refurbishment projects, which include the multi-award winning Museum of Making at Derby Silk Mill and the Master’s House in Ledbury.

James Speller, managing director of Speller Metcalfe, said: “As a Worcestershire-based contractor with a number of local links to Kidderminster, Speller Metcalfe is delighted to be a part of the scheme to transform the town hall into a venue of choice for the Midlands region.

“The work here will be sympathetic to the historic Grade II Listed building, while also bringing it up to date to create an accessible performance space that is fit for the needs of a modern community.”

The project is due for completion in spring 2025, with the scheme procured through the Constructing West Midlands framework.

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