Ashton Town Hall revealed

AFTER being closed for seven years, the doors were opened to Ashton Town Hall as work begins towards restoring Tameside Council’s ceremonial headquarters.

And while some areas appear to be in better condition than was feared, others need plenty of putting right.

Parts of ceilings have collapsed, damp is running riot, steps have given way broken glass from light fitting and plaster coming off the walls showed just how much work needs to be done to get the structure back to its former glory.

The sight of bugs on some of the floors also highlighted the problems.

Local Councillors and MP Angela Rayner

Ashton’s councillors, Tameside Council leader Cllr Ged Cooney and local MP Angela Rayner put on their hard hats and PPE to survey what used to be called home.After almost £20 million of levelling up funding was secured, getting the building back to what it was is one of the priorities.

A council report revealed that after procurement processes are conducted, roof strengthening works will be done between May and November next year, with the rest done between November 2023 and February 2025.

And Ms Rayner, whose office may move back into the building, which also holds the Museum of the Manchesters, cannot wait to get started.She told The Correspondent: “There’s obviously a lot of work that needs to be done just to secure the building.

“But I know the council leader and the councillors are really keen to make that happen.

“It’s also about making it a building that’s fit for purpose so the public can be back in there. I hope to have my office back in there one day as well, that’s the plan.

“But it needs to be back in the public ownership, where they can go in there and use it. I want to see weddings in there and I want to see people using it on a daily basis.

“It’s part of our history. There’s a lot of work to do but hopefully we’ll be able to start it soon so people can have pride in our civic building at the centre of Ashton.”

Bringing Ashton Town Hall back to life stands alongside developing what was the town’s bus station.

And a council report revealed that will be part of a larger development, with the much-maligned Market Square also likely to see changes, along with Albion Way and Wellington Road.

It said: “The council is currently finalising the acquisition of the former interchange site from Transport for Greater Manchester.

Inside the ballroom

“Following acquisition, it will commence enabling infrastructure works to unlock the site for future redevelopment.

“This work will be undertaken in the context of longer term opportunities for comprehensive development which is the subject of discussions with the owners of the Arcades and Ladysmith Shopping Centres.

“Work has commenced on the preparation of options for the improvement of the Market Square, and a Town Centre Public Realm Vision Strategy. Previous reports have provided details of the plans to deliver the next phase of the public realm works to connect Clarendon College with Tameside One.


“A draft business case has been prepared for the Mayor’s Challenge Fund (MCF) scheme known as Ashton Streetscape on Albion Way and Wellington Road.

“Public consultation is planned to start in July, running in parallel with the Public Realm Vision Strategy consultation programme.”