Blackburn hall hailed as £1m approved for revamp

Sunday, 15 December 2024 10:54

Blackburn’s King George’s Hall has been hailed as the best entertainment venue in Lancashire outside Blackpool.

The praise came from borough public health boss, Cllr Damian Talbot, as Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board agrees to pump an extra £1million into the multi-million pound renovation of the historic building.

The cash will be used to deliver enhanced works to key public areas, bars and seating layouts.

Cllr Talbot, who in his previous job as borough leisure boss was responsible for KGH, told Thursday’s meeting: “This is a cultural venture unparalleled in Lancashire outside Blackpool.

“This is a good opportunity for investment opportunity.

“We should be proud of this flagship venue for the borough.”

The meeting also approved the topping up the £4.3m of government cash allocated to doubling the size of Darwen Youth Centre in Knott Street with an extra storey and to the transformation of Audley and Queen’s Park Children’s Centre into a seven days-a-week youth hub with an extra £1.5m.

The £2.5m for both sets of additional works will be transferred from the capital budget for the redevelopment of the former Thwaites Brewery site in Blackburn town centre, currently stalled, after Morrisons pulled out of its proposal to build a new superstore on part of the land.

Work will start in earnest on the now £9m KGH upgrade, the largest element of the borough’s Levelling Up Partnership programme with the government, early next year.

Works in the youth centre transformations will also commence in early next year.

The meeting also approved the transfer of £2m from the Levelling Up Partnership to progress the planned works at the Making Rooms, while the cash originally earmarked for that project from within the Lancashire Combined County Authority Capital Projects Programme for the Tech Innovation Quarter, will be re-focused on the redevelopment of the former St John’s Church, as a modern business centre.