Date set for re-opening of Accrington’s historic Market Hall

The re-opening of Accrington’s historic Grade II heritage-listed Market Hall after an £11million refurbishment will coincide with the town’s Christmas lights switch-on in November, senior councillors have been told.

The provisional date in November – in line with previous predictions – has been reported to Hyndburn Council’s ruling cabinet by its transformation and town centre boss Cllr Clare Pritchard.

In a report to Wednesday’s meeting she also revealed that the linked construction works to Burtons Chambers will be ‘practically complete’ by July 6.

Cllr Pritchard’s report updates the cabinet on the progress of the council’s £25million Levelling Up Fund (LUF) investment in Accrington town centre.

It says: “The council’s LUF submission focussed around the following three principal interventions:

: Redevelopment within the Indoor Market Hall and removal of the outdoor pavilions along Peel Street to provide an enhanced food and drink offering alongside traditional market stalls and new leisure offering – the intervention known as Market Hall;

: Acquisition and external façade improvements/roof repairs to the properties of 43-59 Blackburn Road / 2-4 Church Street – the intervention known as Market Chambers;

: Acquisition and redevelopment to the block 61-69 Blackburn Road to provide for a shared workspace offering – the intervention known as Burtons Chambers.

“All works procured under the phase 1 contract are complete and the small number of defects identified by the phase 2 contractor have been resolved by the phase 1 contractor and their subcontractors.

“Phase 2 construction contract (fit-out)  – the following work headings are instructed:

“ • full internal fit-out works to Market Hall and Burtons Chambers, such as floors, walls, ceilings, electrical, mechanical and ventilation systems, decorations, fixtures/fittings etc;

“ • installation of a new damp proof protection system to two elevations in Burtons Chambers which are below the external ground level;

“ • re-covering to the roof of Burtons Chambers;

“ • further replacement of roof glazing, guttering and safety walkway to the Market Hall roof;

“ • installation of a Solar Photovoltaic system to the Market Hall roof; and

“ • external public realm works to Peel Street.

“Additional works have been identified as the project has progressed.

“At the time of writing, the contractor’s programme still showed a working assumption that the construction works to Burtons Chambers will be ‘practically complete’ by July 6 and Market Hall by July 13.

“Following the change to leasing the Market Hall, where the council will now manage the Market Hall day-to-day operations, there is a substantial amount of work for the council to undertake in promoting and signing up new food and drink traders plus any other general market type traders to complement the existing traders temporarily decanted to the town square.

“Given the time required to secure new tenants and recant the traders from the temporary cabins, it has been agreed that the Market Hall re-opening will align with the Christmas Lights Switch On events, on either November 19 or 20 (exact day will be agreed nearer the time with market traders).

“The council continues to liaise closely with the Burtons Chambers’ operator who has agreed to open in line with the Market Hall as the temporary cabins will need to have been removed from in front the building’s entrance.”