Revamp plan continues at Preston Guild Hall
Preston City Council has approved the latest phase in the refurbishment of the city’s entertainment and leisure complex, which will include a 10-pin bowling alley, nine-hole crazy golf course, karaoke booths, sports bar and dining room.
Plans submitted by The Frank Whittle Partnership to convert the basement and ground floor levels of the 1970s venue into were granted planning permission at Preston’s planning meeting yesterday.
The project, developed for the Guild Hall’s owners The Rigby Organisation, will see a new entrance on Lord Street directly facing Preston Bus Station, opening up the Guild Hall and replacing the existing underpass.
The latest stage is part of a masterplan for the gradual redevelopment of the venue by FWP, which centres around the creation of modern restaurants and bars, such as the recently opened Villa Italian, as well as redesigning the external areas.
The latest Guild Hall attraction will be called LeVel and FWP is carrying out the full design work, including creating the venue’s logo and branding. The new entertainment centre will be take over the former Morrison’s supermarket site.
Seb Salisbury, lead architect for the project at FWP, said: “We are really excited by this next phase in the redevelopment of the Guild Hall. The internal basement and ground floor areas will be totally transformed by the creation of a fantastic new boutique bowling leisure facility.
“LeVel will create a vibrant new offering in Preston city centre and help to further establish the reputation of the Guild Hall as a destination leisure attraction. Creating a new entrance also opens the Guild Hall up to transformation of the bus station and the revitalisation of the public realm in the area.
“It is the latest stage in the vision that The Rigby Group has to create a vibrant cultural hub of entertainment, arts and leisure and it is great to see the city council getting behind the plan to help boost Preston’s standing in the region and its economy.”
