Guild Hall makeover gets the go-ahead

Plans for the first phase of the Guild Hall restoration project have been approved by city planners.

FWP has been working with the landmark building’s new owner – Lancashire businessman Simon Rigby – to transform the exterior of the entertainment and leisure venue.

The plan also includes new spaces for cafes and breakout spaces, a giant high-level digital screen and state-of-the-art lighting to give a 21st century feel to this iconic 1970s entertainment venue.

Seb Salisbury, the FWP architect behind the vision, said: “The Guild Hall has huge untapped potential in terms of both its enviable location and bold architectural form. The venue is close to the heart of many Prestonians and we have created a design that will breathe new life into what has become a rather tired building."

The Guild Hall was built in 1972-73 to the designs of Scottish architects Robert Matthew and Stirratt Johnson-Marshall - now RMJM, an internationally-recognised firm responsible for buildings such as the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh – in the new Brutalist style and complements Preston’s Bus Station.

Inside the building, Preston property agents, Parker & Company, will take on assembling an eclectic mix of retailers to fill the buildings shopping arcade to support and enhance the arts offered by The Guild Hall.