A facelift for the Guild Hall is on the cards

Plans for Preston’s Guild Hall have been given a green light by planning officials.

The entrance to the venue is set to be radically remodelled and replaced with two escalators.

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Architects have drawn up how the new look venue could take shape – as new owner Simon Rigby is poised to take full control of the building from October.

The current tourist information office is set to move and be replaced by a new Italian restaurant.

Planning officers at Preston City Council, who are selling the venue to Mr Rigby’s consortium, have recommended the scheme for approval.

A statement says: “The proposed alterations and extensions to the Guild Hall would have an acceptable impact on the setting of the Market Place conservation area and neighbouring listed buildings, and vistas of Harris Street and Lancaster Street, and would be acceptable in terms of pedestrian and highway safety, and noise and disturbance.

“The proposed development would have a beneficial impact on the vitality and viability of the city centre and, subject to submission and approval of a scheme for landscaping to ensure there are no adverse impacts from a visual amenity or ecological perspective, merits approval.”

A big plasma screen will sit above the first floor of the Guild Hall

Six trees along the front of the venue are due to be removed as part of the plans.

A planning condition stating the trees must not be pruned between March and August has been added.

One letter of support has been submitted for the plans, saying it is good for tourism and business. A letter of objection to the restaurant was submitted.

The plans now go before the city council’s planning committee on Monday 29 September from 10am at the Town Hall.

You can view the full planning application on the city council website.

What do you think of the Guild Hall plans? Let us know in the comments below