Iconic Landmark The Piece Hall Halifax Re-Opens Following £7M Investment

Iconic Landmark The Piece Hall Halifax Re-Opens Following £7M Investment

On 1st August, The Piece Hall in Halifax – one of the most iconic heritage buildings in Britain re-opened its gates following a multi-million-pound transformation. This heralds a new era for the monumental Georgian structure as a contemporary leisure, retail, cultural and heritage destination and the beating heart of a world-class cultural quarter.
The transformation has been made possible by funding from Calderdale Council, a generous £7 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund – thanks to National Lottery players – and kind support from the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Wolfson Foundation.
          
Members of the public can now explore the Grade 1 Listed building and experience the immense, open air piazza – once used for the trading of cloth and to host amazing spectacles – which is now enclosed by a mix of independent bars, shops and cafés. It will provide a stunning backdrop for a seasonal programme of events which will attract estimated footfall of 1.6m through the gates every year.
Tenants includes a retail and leisure mix of independent new start-ups, expanding local businesses and returning tenants, kickstarting an enterprising new chapter for the sole surviving Georgian former cloth hall. A new east extension at The Piece Hall provides facilities for a three-storey restaurant and cocktail bar and links through to Square Chapel Arts Centre which recently opened a new £6.6m extension featuring a new theatre, cinema and café bar.
A rising star from the region’s hospitality industry will head up one of the new food and drink businesses.  Justin Thomas who cut his teeth at celebrated Leeds institutions ‘Friends of Ham’, where he was Head of Food Development and Kendall’s Bistro (Head Chef) has also chosen The Piece Hall to locate his new venture.  Located on the lower ‘Arcade’ level and occupying 1,060 sq ft Thomas’s restaurant, which is yet to be named, will offer ‘modern comfort food’ from morning to night from a menu that reflects the best of British seasonal and artisan produce.
          
Nicky Chance Thompson, Chief Executive of The Piece Hall Trust, an independent charity formed to manage The Piece Hall, commented: “For anyone that has yet to experience The Piece Hall, it’s not easy to get across the scale and grandeur of the place. It brings to mind Covent Garden’s ‘Floral market’ with a grand courtyard that is reminiscent of Somerset House, combined with magnificent Italian-style architecture.  Given the phenomenal 200-year history of the building and scale of the transformation, it’s incredible that until now, it has been one of the North’s best kept secret, but that’s all about to change. We look forward to welcoming back local people, and inviting visitors from all over the world to experience this transformation which both celebrates our extraordinary history, and will offer a unique cultural destination for generations to come.”
The opening marks the culmination of an ambitious three-year transformation project delivered by Calderdale Council and designed by LDN Architects. Key elements of the conservation and build programme include the careful restoration of the 18^th century stonework and the upgrade of infrastructure and services to convert the original 315 units (once used for storing cloth) into exceptional retail and public facilities.
The sloping central courtyard has been levelled, creating one of the most striking piazzas in Europe, fit for 21^st century public use, and measuring a vast 66,000 sq ft. It will host a seasonal programme of events with capacity for up to 7,500 people, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Georgian arcades.
The Piece Hall, Blackledge, Halifax HX1 1RE – http://www.thepiecehall.co.uk
Photo Credit – Paul White Photography
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