The pain-staking work taking place to restore Paisley Town Hall to its former glory can now be revealed as Buddies are offered a glimpse of what will be one of Scotland’s premiere events venues.
Renfrewshire Council has shared the first images of the hall which is undergoing a £22 million transformation.
The work to date has seen the ornate ceilings and craftsmanship of the 140-year-old building lovingly restored, while adaptations have also been made to ensure it is equipped with state of the art facilities.
It has seen the capacity of the main hall increased and new rooms for screenings and digital media have been created alongside an impressive dance studio and bar with stunning views overlooking the White Cart River and Abbey Gardens.
Once complete this summer, the town hall will be handed over to OneRen who will spend the final weeks installing equipment and resources before opening formally to host the Royal National Mod.
Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, chair of the OneRen board, said: “It’s fantastic to see work on Paisley Town Hall taking shape – and we are excited to be getting closer to the point where we can reopen the doors and welcome the people of Renfrewshire back inside.
“We know it’s a building people we all have our own special memories of – the work we are doing now will preserve that legacy for future generations, with new modern facilities alongside the stunning architectural features and classic look people know and love.
“Once reopened later this year, the town hall will have been transformed into a unique entertainment venue, and be home to a year-round programme of events and performances which will help drive new footfall and life to the town centre, day and night.”
Officers at the council have shared a host of images with the Paisley Daily Express detailing the progress made so far – with most of the heavy construction now complete.
They show the architectural detail in the ceiling of the main hall has been painstakingly restored, while the former North Minor Hall is being transformed into the new digital lounge.
It will be fitted out with a big screen and seating to allow small screenings and other events to take place.
The unique ornamental details in the former Alexander Wilson Suite have also been refurbished and workers are currently laying the lifted and repaired floorboards which were previously in the main hall.
The images also show the dance studio, which is a new room created in formerly-empty space on the first floor of the town hall. Filled with light, its elevated position means it has views out on to Gauze Street.
The Loggia has also had its ceiling repaired and will shortly see a new floor installed. Finally, the new bar has been created in a room previously used as a store and is about to be fitted out with fixtures and fittings.
Over the next few months, Renfrewshire Council in partnership with contractors Morrison Construction will be handing it over to OneRen which has an exciting programme of year-round events that will help drive new activity and footfall to the town centre.
The town hall refurbishment is part of a much bigger investment in Paisley’s cultural venues, which includes the transformation of Paisley Museum into a world-class visitor destination, a refurbishment of Paisley Arts Centre, and a new home for library services in a formerly vacant retail unit on the High Street.
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