Stalybridge Civic Hall should form centrepiece of a ‘boom’

NEW leader of Tameside Council, Cllr Ged Cooney, believes Staybridge’s ‘treasured’ Civic Hall should form the centrepiece of a ‘boom.’

The Correspondent understands the project to replace the roof – the cost of which ballooned by £1.1 million – may be reviewed.

That is despite Tameside Council insisting the money to pay for a full replacement rather than a repair, rather than a ‘patch up and mend’ job, has been found.

But Cllr Cooney believes the Civic Hall should be at the heart of whatever is planned for Stalybridge in future, and it should be used more during the day.

He told The Correspondent: “We’ve got to solve that problem. It’s a building that’s treasured, I wouldn’t disagree with that and we’ve got to solve the roof issue.

“It’s got to be at the heart of our new boom in Stalybridge.

“Street Fest has been excellent and we’ve some good officers here who come from areas where they can help develop that.

“I want Stalybridge to be part of that trail – if you’re going to go to Uppermill, why not go to Stalybridge?

“It’s got some fantastic little streets. Some of the developments over the years may have seen some of the character lost but I know the work that’s going into it.

“We’ve got to look at getting the Civic Hall up and running properly – but not just as a civic building.

“I think it can be more vibrant in the day.”

Stalybridge’s Civic Hall’s roof was surveyed in August 2019 and the findings were stark.

A report starts: “There is widespread breakage to the original Welsh slate coverings. The metal gutters are badly choked and blocked with general debris and rubbish accumulation.

“There are several sections, particularly along the ridge line, where open gaps are evident between the slate coverings, resulting in points where water ingress is readily accessible into the internal building fabric.

“A large number of cracked, slipped and broken slates were evident. The timber walkways over the roof slopes are badly weathered and extremely slippy underfoot.

“Large timber panels are loose and strewn within the gutter linings and are affected by timber decay, with broken slats.

“Sections of the lightning conductor are loose at the mechanical fixings and is untidily laid over some of the roof slopes, particularly over the front west facing elevation sections.

“The original gutter brackets are heavily rusted and are no longer providing a function.”

A further report on the building itself last May also revealed: “Areas of masonry are potentially at risk of falling from height and general trip hazards were noted throughout the building.

“These should be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

The Correspondent previously told how work on the roof had been delayed, with a Tameside Council spokesman saying: “We are reviewing the programme of works required at Stalybridge Civic Hall to minimise disruption to users of the building.

“This is particularly relevant now given that Stalybridge was recently named Greater Manchester Town of Culture 2022 and there will be increased activity and opportunities in and around the vicinity of the civic hall this year as a result of this.”

However, at the last edition of Street Fest, the Civic Hall was absent from the layout.

Stalybridge’s Civic Hall will also become the site of the town’s police post later this year after Greater Manchester Police made the revelation after being contacted by The Correspondent.