Inside Manchester Town Hall as more scaffolding comes down and reopening date confirmed

The Manchester Town Hall at long last has a path to completion, and as the scaffolding around this landmark building creeps down, the council has shared a glimpse at the work that’s happening inside.

The Grade I-listed building has been hidden behind scaffolding and white sheets for more than five years, with its once-in-a-century regeneration delayed by a number of factors.

But now, at long last, Manchester City Council has confirmed a completion date for the project, with work on the Manchester Town Hall set to complete in spring 2027.

Those of us wandering through town or attending the Manchester Christmas Markets in recent months will have noticed the scaffolding around the beautiful structure slowly unveiling its beautiful facade.

First came the clock tower, then down came the huge temporary roof (which had been keeping the building watertight while roofing works were carried out), and now there’s movement around the sides of the town hall too.

Inside, an army of skilled workers have been carefully restoring and repairing this heritage building, safeguarding it for future generations.

In images shared by the council, we can see the ornate ceilings, intricate stonework, and grand hallways of the Manchester Town Hall for the first time in years.

And addressing the ‘unique challenges’ faced during the restoration, the report has laid out a ‘more certain’ completion date of spring 2027 and a budget increase of an additional £95 million – taking the overall project budget to £524.8 million.

The Manchester Town Hall project has faced challenges since it began in 2020, including the Covid pandemic, a volatile economic climate, and construction industry rising costs.

The council’s report also said that there’s been a shortage of ‘specialist labour capacity in the supply chain, issues with the supply of materials (which under strict heritage rules need to closely match those used in the original construction) and ongoing discovery of further construction challenges, all of which unavoidably cause delays and associated costs’.

On top of that, three of the contractors working on the regeneration have gone into administration in the last six months alone.

Despite that, most of the external work is now complete, with work now focussing on the interiors.

When it reopens next year, Manchester Town Hall will have a free public attraction The Town Hall Story, which will bring its fascinating history to life.

Before then, a series of hard hat tours are being planned to welcome Mancs inside the building.

Deputy Council Leader Cllr Garry Bridges said: “This project to safeguard Manchester Town Hall and create unprecedented public access is the biggest heritage project the country has seen for many years. Only the restoration of the Houses of Parliament will surpass it in scale.

“A project of this size is extraordinarily complicated and has had to navigate a stream of challenges – from a global pandemic to high inflation in the construction industry and the hidden issues within the building’s historic fabric.

“Like everyone, we have been frustrated by the increased time and cost involved. But if we had not acted decisively to invest in the future of this Victorian masterpiece, many parts of which were reaching the end of their natural lifespans, we would have seen it become unusable and obsolete.

“We’re glad that we’re now on a confident path to completion in spring 2027, in time for the 150th anniversary of its original opening. The results of the project will be there for people to appreciate and enjoy for the next 100 years.

“Manchester people are beginning to see the benefits of the expanded Albert Square, at the heart of the city’s best ever Christmas, and there will be many more events to come in a public square to rival the best in Europe.

“When town halls like ours were built in the 19th Century, most Mancunians were excluded from them. But we want to give the building back to the people – inviting them to a new free visitor attraction and to share in a cultural programme around its reopening.

“Now we have a date for completion we can begin to look forward with excitement.”

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Featured image: Manchester City Council