By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
A 160-year-old town hall closed for more than a decade after a fire has reopened.
Grade-II listed Walworth Town Hall was Southwark council’s headquarters until 2013, when a blaze destroyed much of the building.
The town hall , in Walworth Road, which opened in 1865, has now been restored and given a new lease of life as a centre for businesses and budding entrepreneurs.
General Projects, the developer that led the transformation, said the offices and co-working desks could support more than 550 workers.
The developer’s management arm, General People, will oversee the running of the building. It intends to offer young entrepreneurs the opportunity to set up and develop their business ideas at no cost for six months while pairing them with mentors.
The refurbished building’s central lobby now includes a new community centre and café. The community space, run by the non-profit Walworth Town Hall Community Space Board, is already up and running, while the café is set to open by the end of the month.
The ex-council chamber, which suffered irreparable damage following the fire, has had its vaulted ceiling reconstructed using wood, while original oak floors have been refinished with parquet.
Yesterday, Southwark councillors returned to the town hall for the first time in over a decade to hold a cabinet meeting in the building.
Peckham architects Feix and Merlin helped design the plans for the updated town hall. As part of the refurbishment, a new grand staircase and a ground-floor entrance onto Walworth Square were fitted to the building.
Frederic Schwass, chief development officer at General Projects, said: “We approached this project with a vision for developing a new blueprint for bringing at-risk municipal landmarks back to life. Restored to its former glory, Walworth Town Hall has been given back to a new generation with an exciting new purpose, made viable and fit for modern standards.”
Cllr Helen Dennis, Southwark council’s cabinet member for new homes and sustainable development, said: “I’m thrilled to reopen this incredible building, which represents such an important part of Southwark’s history and heritage.
“I’m particularly pleased to see the completion of the new community space on the ground floor, which will be run for local residents and will be a wonderful resource for people of all ages. The Walworth Town Hall is a treasure for our local community, and I’m delighted that it is now ready for people to use and enjoy.”
Pictured top: The refurbished Walworth Town Hall (Picture: Chris Wharton/LDRS)
Discussion about this post