‘New’ town hall due to open to public for first time after full cost of major refurb project revealed
Oldham's Old Library has been transformed into a new town hall through a £32m refurbishment project, featuring a new council chamber, offices, and community space. The building will open to the public for the first time this weekend, with councillors set to move in next month. The project has drawn mixed reactions, with some praising the preservation of heritage and others criticizing the costs, particularly £179k spent on the council chamber furnishings. The council defends the investment as capital spending that cannot be used for revenue expenses like pothole repairs.
Oldham’s transformed Victorian library opens to public after £32m restoration
Oldham’s “brand new” town hall opens to the public for the first time this weekend following a £32 million restoration project that has transformed the former Old Library into a modern civic centre.
The 150-year-old building on Union Street, closed since 2017 due to its deteriorating condition, has undergone extensive restoration work by contractor Tilbury Douglas. The project has created a mixed-use space featuring a new Council Chamber, offices for councillors and the executive team, and facilities for the Oldham Theatre Workshop.
Councillors will officially relocate from the current Civic Centre on West Street, which is scheduled for demolition, when they move into the refurbished building in September. The restoration project has cost nearly £32 million in total, with £260,000 allocated for furnishings.
The new Council Chamber accounts for £179,363.20 of the furnishing budget, including £37,000 for custom-made curved benches to seat 60 councillors and £24,000 for design enhancements. Office furnishings cost £80,348.68, with the most expensive items being two pedestal desks with drawers at £5,783 each, dispelling online rumours that the council leader’s desk cost £30,000.
Conservative councillor Lewis Quigg criticised the expenditure: “Whilst everyone can appreciate that the restoration of old civic buildings is going to cost money, the costs associated with the Council Chamber are an extortionate luxury with tastes bordering on the Palace of Versailles rather than a Town Hall.”
Deputy council leader Elaine Taylor defended the investment: “We have invested in a council building that’s not only fit for the future, but one that Oldham residents can enjoy and access for years to come. We’ve done this by working closely with our commercial partners Tilbury Douglas to produce an outstanding building that has, where possible, utilised local suppliers, putting money back into Oldham.”
Taylor emphasised that the project funding comes from capital spending, which covers asset creation and improvement, rather than revenue expenditure used for services like road repairs.
Visitors can book tours of the new Council Chambers on Saturday, August 16, when the building’s new name will be officially revealed.
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