Buttress to restore Stretford Public Hall Ballroom

The Manchester-based architect has been appointed to restore the ballroom at the grade-two listed Stretford Public Hall into an events space.

The works are set to start spring 2020 and are to be supported by a £68,000 grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund.

The Ballroom Transformation Project is the second major work to be delivered at the hall and will see the complete restoration of the Victorian ballroom. The overall aim is to bring the space back into use as a multi-functional events space, which will allow its owners to generate income for further maintenance.

The Friends of Stretford Public Hall, a member-owned charitable organisation led by locals, secured the freehold of the building from Trafford Council in 2015 after it was about to be put on the market. The group has been fundraising ever since and has developed plans to restore the hall to its 19^th century glory and establish it as a community asset.

Stretford Public Hall was built in 1878 for the community by John and Enriqueta Rylands, and served as a public library, public baths, a theatre, and council offices through different incarnations in its life.

Neal Charlton, director at Buttress, said: “The Friends of Stretford Public Hall are a passionate group of people who are dedicated to restoring and reinstating the hall’s place at the heart of the community. We look forward to working with them to delivery this exciting project, which will bring them one step closer to fulfilling their long-term vision for the building.”