Bilston Town Hall
Bilston Town Hall was re-opened to the public on September 19 2008 by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Christine Mills, in the presence of Lord Turner of Bilston.
The magnificent Grade II listed building was formally unveiled at a ceremony attended by our civic representatives, the Heritage Lottery Fund, GF Tomlinson (the construction group involved in the refurbishment), and the local community and traders.
As part of the ceremony, a plaque was unveiled commemorating the occasion and a second plaque is planned to commemorate all those individuals who played a part in saving the Town Hall and securing its £2.5 million restoration.
We provided £1.6 million towards the restoration project with a further £600,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £300,000 from the European Regional Development Fund..
We worked with the community for several years to return Bilston Town Hall to its former glory. Work to secure its long term future included:
- getting the original clock ticking again
- refurbishing the ballroom and stage to its former glory
- restoring and repairing the roof
- chimneys and stonework
- finding new tenants for the building.
Wolverhampton Homes and performing arts company Gazebo Theatre are the new occupants of the building, with community use of the public spaces and ballroom.
A major challenge was to make the building more accessible. A striking glazed entrance was created, incorporating a ramp, and lifts have been installed in the building, one within the clock tower itself.
One of the last tasks was hoisting a historic theatre organ into place to help bring the ballroom back to life.
The 1,000-pipe Compton organ was first installed in the Lyric Cinema, Wellingborough, in 1936. It has been relocated to Bilston Town Hall to provide a musical soundtrack to tea dances, concerts and weddings.
The opening ceremony marked a new era for the building, which stood empty for 12 years before restoration work started. It is a much loved symbol of the town's identity and has been at the centre of Bilston life since its construction in 1872, when it housed the library, council offices and ballroom.
Contacts
Wolverhampton Homes
e-mail: homes.direct@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
Website: http://www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk Phone: 01902 556789
Fax: 01902 556674
Gazebo Theatre
e-mail: admin@gazebotie.org
Website: http://www.gazebotie.org
Phone: 01902 497222
Fax: 01902 497244
Location
The Town Hall
Church Street
Bilston
WV14 0AT
Location Map of Bilston Town Hall