Transforming Our Building

In 2020, Shoreditch Town Hall embarked on a 3-phase capital and building development project over 2 years: The Welcome Project.

Having invested £2.3m into the capital development of the Town Hall since 2012, the planned 10-year capital plan focused on opening up the building, improving perception, and removing physical and psychological barriers to better engage with visitors, and strengthen our civic responsibility for communities in Shoreditch and beyond.Shoreditch Town Hall’s landmark building is one of our greatest assets, yet in a modern context it can feel imposing, closed and inaccessible. This project will address these issues through a multifaceted programme of works around four key themes:

1. Improving appearance and public perception: cleaning the building’s façade and repairing stonework; improving external doors, windows and signage; installing new external lighting (focusing particularly on animating the tower).

2. Broadening access: reducing barriers by installing a ramp into the building to replace the existing, unreliable lift; improving Foyer entrance, lighting, signage and welcome desk; upgrading the gents and accessible toilets.

3. Creating public space: installing a café bar across the front, ground level of the building that will be open at least 6 days a week.

4. Enhancing work conditions: creating shared workspace for artists; improving staff office areas.Since 2020, some priorities have had to change due to the needs of our historic building both showing signs of urgent repair but also with the need to ensure that the building is as sustainable as possible with the aim to reduce our carbon emissions. 

2021

• The building façade was fully cleaned
• The Artist Workspace was created for artists  

2023

• Unsuccessful funding bid for Capital Works  

2024

• Exploratory survey on the tower’s stability
• Retrofit assessment on building’s sustainability requirements  
• Emergency plasterwork repairs to the Assembly Hall roof 
• External signage lighting repaired 

2024/5

Additional money from an unprecedented property transaction and The Affordable Workspace Fund allowing for more works: 

• a new external ramp broadening access 
• Urgent requirement of new boilers allowing for a more comfortable and sustainable building  
• Leaking roofs repaired (Old Servery / Assembly Hall Fire exits / dislodged tiles) 
• New entranceway for The Ditch  
• Stairs down to the The Ditch made safe 
• Tower netted for safety 
• Light fixtures replaced for LED lighting throughout the building (not Assembly Hall)

2026  

• Funding received from ACE to continue with The Welcome Project and repair the tower which has been deemed unsafe and make significant access and sustainability improvements. 
• Plans for a café continue.
  Reed Watts Architects are working with Shoreditch Town Hall on the delivery of this project, and supporters for recent capital works has been:

• Backstage Trust. 
• Hackney Light and Power 
• The Affordable Workspace Fund 
• Arts Council England
• London Borough of Hackney 

To find out more information on these transformative building development plans, as well as ways in which you can support, please contact Julie Flavell Chief Executive Officer via info@shoreditchtownhall.com or 020 7739 6176.