Town Hall Restoration Costs Soar to £525m

The restoration of Manchester's historic Town Hall has seen its budget escalate to almost £525m, a substantial rise from the original £330m. This significant increase is attributed to various delays and unforeseen complications encountered during the extensive work.

Originally scheduled for completion by 2024, the Grade I-listed Victorian building, which closed in 2018, is now slated to reopen in spring 2027. Council leader Garry Bridges described the project as the nation's largest heritage restoration, citing the pandemic, inflation, and even nesting birds as contributors to cost overruns.

Bridges confirmed that while numerous challenges arose, the project is now adhering to its revised budget, with no further financial increases anticipated. Workers encountered unexpected issues, such as the removal of compacted sawdust beneath a former dance floor, a task that took 18 weeks by hand.

Further complexities included redesigning the underfloor heating system due to discoveries below ground and intricate work on historic lighting, including recreating original designs for wall lights. Approximately 160,000 roof tiles have been replaced, and individual panes of glass from historic windows have been meticulously removed and reinstalled.

The restored Town Hall will provide greater public access than ever before, showcasing the building's history and civic importance through a new visitor experience. New lifts ensure accessibility to all floors, and dedicated accessible entrances have been installed.

While most areas will be open, some sections, including those used by coroners and senior officials, will remain restricted. A year-long program of events is planned for 2027 to celebrate the reopening, concluding with the building's 150th anniversary in September.