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Preston Guild Hall

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Coordinates: 53°45′35″N 2°41′51″W / 53.7596°N 2.6975°W / 53.7596; -2.6975
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Preston Guild Hall
Pictured in April 2015
Preston Guild Hall is located in Preston city centre
Preston Guild Hall
Preston Guild Hall
Location in Preston city centre
Full namePreston Guild Hall and Charter Theatre
LocationPreston, Lancashire
Coordinates53°45′35″N 2°41′51″W / 53.75972°N 2.69750°W / 53.75972; -2.69750
Public transitPreston bus station
OwnerPreston City Council
OperatorPreston Guild Hall Ltd
TypeConcert venue (Grand Hall)
Theatre (Charter Theatre)
Capacity2,034 (Grand Hall)
780 (Charter Theatre)
350 (Foyer)
Acreage1,087 m2 (Grand Hall)
336 m2 (Charter Theatre)
529 m2 (Foyer)
Opened1973; 51 years ago (1973)

Preston Guild Hall is an entertainment venue in Preston, Lancashire, England, which opened in 1973.

History

[edit]

The Guild Hall was commissioned to replace the town's Public Hall.[1] The new building, which was designed by Robert Matthew, Johnson Marshall, was due to be ready for the Preston Guild of 1972, but after construction was delayed, it only officially opened in 1973.[2]

The complex has two performance venues, the Grand Hall which holds 2,034 people and the Charter Theatre which holds 780 people.[3] There is direct pedestrian access, via footbridge, from the adjacent Preston bus station and car park.[4]

Artists that have performed at the venue include Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra,[5] Libor Pešek[6] and Vasily Petrenko.[7] Led Zeppelin and David Bowie both performed at the venue in 1973 and The Smiths in 1986 among others.[8] Bing Crosby gave one of his last concerts at the Guild Hall in September 1977, less than a month before his death.[9] It also hosted the UK Snooker Championship for the years 1978 to 1997.[10]

In 2013, Preston City Council considered demolishing the venue due to high running costs,[11] but instead sold it in 2014 to local businessman Simon Rigby for an undisclosed sum,[12] later revealed to be £1.[13] In return Rigby promised to spend £1m in renovations.[14][15] Ongoing financial problems saw Rigby close the venue in May 2019 and he was forced to place the business into administration.[13][16] Preston City Council, one of the company's creditors,[17] subsequently reclaimed possession of the building, citing "significant breaches" in the lease agreement and the "unacceptable behaviour" of Rigby's attempt to transfer ownership to a charity of which he was a trustee.[18][19]

The building was due to host the Business Expo in April 2020 but this event had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] The Guild Hall was set to reopen in November 2023 but this was delayed until March 2024 due to concerns over the use of aerated concrete on the site.[21][22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Music in Preston". Made in Preston. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Historic Building Record: Preston Guild Hall". Preston Council. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  3. ^ "About us". Preston Guild Hall. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ^ "History of the Guild Hall Preston". The Guildhall, Preston. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra – The Birds". Creative Community Group. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Pick of the week: North: Classical & opera". The Guardian. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Royal salute for The Emperor". The Lancashire Post. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Venue has hosted rock royalty". Lancashire Evening Post. 10 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  9. ^ Moon, Naomi (14 September 2020). "When Bing Crosby came to Preston..." Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Goodbye Guildhall: A look through time". Preston Hub. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Preston Guild Hall could be bulldozed". BBC News. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Preston Guild Hall sold to businessman Simon Rigby". BBC News. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  13. ^ a b Musgrove, Catherine (27 August 2020). "Simon Rigby: the 'Preston-mad' businessman who bought - then lost - the Guild Hall". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  14. ^ "About Preston Guild Hall • Preston Guild Hall & Charter Theatre". Preston Guild Hall & Charter Theatre. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Preston's Guild Hall saved". Lancashire Evening Post. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Preston Guild Hall staff laid off as owner closes venue". BBC. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  17. ^ Titley, Megan (19 August 2019). "Strip show debt is catalyst for Preston Guild Hall tipping into administration". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Council reclaims troubled Guild Hall". BBC News. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  19. ^ Titley, Megan (20 June 2019). "City council steps in to take control of Preston Guild Hall citing Simon Rigby's 'unacceptable behaviour'". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  20. ^ "How major Preston developments have progressed during lockdown". Lancs Live. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Guild Hall closed pending surveys amid national roofing fears". The Guild Hall Preston. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Preston Weekender delayed due to RAAC: new date and more event plans, including line-up, confirmed". Lancashire Evening Post. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2024.

53°45′35″N 2°41′51″W / 53.7596°N 2.6975°W / 53.7596; -2.6975

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