Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall will officially close its doors for the final time on May 10, marking the end of an era for one of the town's most iconic venues. The building, which has stood in the town centre since 1977, was condemned last year after engineers discovered it contained Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a brittle material prone to structural failure that has been found in public buildings across the country.

Opened after 15 years of construction, the hall was named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee during a royal visit. Over nearly five decades, it grew into a beloved community hub, hosting an extraordinary range of acts: from Iron Maiden and The Dubliners to spoken word poet John Cooper Clarke and comedian Jimmy Carr. For generations of Oldham residents, it was the place for concerts, Christmas pantos, and civic events.

Its closure paves the way for a major redevelopment of the area. The site is part of a partnership between Oldham Council and developers Muse that will bring 2,000 new homes to the town centre, with the Queen Elizabeth Hall making way for new flats and green space.

In its final weeks, the venue has already wound down live music performances. A last run of gigs took place over the winter, including an Elvis Presley tribute act and the annual panto. But the hall is still screening a small number of films, with one last event standing out: a documentary about local legend Frank Rothwell.

'Old Man and the Sea' follows the 70-year-old OBE-holder as he rows 3,000 miles solo across the Atlantic Ocean. It is currently scheduled for 26 April and looks set to be the final event inside the hall. Rothwell, who also owns Oldham Athletic, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Isn't it fantastic that one of the last things to be shown is from Oldham. What a fall of the curtain." He recalled seeing Leicester rock band Showaddywaddy perform at the hall shortly after it first opened and said he had attended events there until recently. "The Queen Elizabeth Hall is iconic," he added. "It's a shame to see it go, but let's hope the new Loom will exceed it."

The Loom is a brand new events space next to Oldham's indoor market on Parliament Square. It can host up to 1,000 standing guests, 700 seated, or 500 dining, and can be split into smaller rooms for exhibitions, gigs, or theatre performances. One of its first official uses will be to hold this year's local election count—the first time in years that the count has not taken place at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The official date for demolition has not yet been confirmed, but the hall's role in the town's cultural life is drawing to a close. As Oldham looks ahead to new homes and new venues, the Queen Elizabeth Hall will be remembered as a stage for both world-class entertainment and everyday community life.