Heritage bid to renovate Town Hall rejected

Rochdale Town Hall

A revised Heritage Lottery bid to renovate Rochdale Town Hall has been rejected.

The revised Stage One bid for the Town Hall was submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) in December 2016. HLF recently announced their decisions on the annual major heritage grant applications, including the bid to restore Rochdale Town Hall.

Rated as a high priority, the bid was ultimately rejected this time due to the lack of available funds. With only £40m available for 22 bids totalling £224m, it was inevitable that most applicants would be left disappointed.

The competition was incredibly fierce again this year, with well-respected national institutions like the Imperial War Museum, National Archives and the Tate also having their bids rejected.

The Council Leader added in his report as Cabinet Member for Regeneration: “Whilst it is deeply disappointing to learn that Rochdale was not successful in securing the funding it needs, we remain absolutely committed to safeguarding this stunning architectural gem for future generations and are continuing to engage with the Heritage Lottery Fund while also exploring other options.

“We will also press on with the planned improvements to the Town Hall Square, which will get under way later this year.”