Works to Yarm Town Hall complete ahead of Heritage Centre fit-out

Work on the refurbishment and conversion of Yarm Town Hall into a Heritage Centre including the opening-up and reinstatement of its iconic brick arches has been completed.

As part of the restoration of the Grade II listed landmark building, its eight external arches have been fully opened up and have been fitted with new glazing. The work also includes a repainted clock tower and the restoration of the original weather vane on the hall's roof.

The first floor of the Town Hall will also remain as a meeting space and a new heritage learning area will be developed.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council worked in partnership with Yarm Town Council to develop proposals for the refurbishment of the building and to carry out the building works.

The refurbishment works began earlier in the year and have been completed by Wharton Construction Ltd.

Yarm Town Council will now commence the fit-out of the internal exhibition spaces and development of the heritage programme, which will form Yarm Town Hall Heritage Centre.

As part of this, the town council are working with artist Matthew Rosier and North Yorkshire based media arts organisation Mediale on a major new exhibition called "Island in a River' featuring community memories and unique artefacts, which will be on permanent display in the centre.

At night, the exhibition will transform into a video installation projecting a looping holographic film of the River Tees and its many users, celebrating the powerful connection between the town and the river.

The refurbishment is being funded as part of the Council's successful application for £20million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund, alongside contributions from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Town Centres Investment Programme and Yarm Town Council.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "This is a huge, unique project for Yarm town centre and I'm delighted to see the building work phase complete.

"The improvements makes the town hall look even more impressive and I am sure people are going to be really pleased with the end result and will be able to enjoy a fantastic heritage programme in the heart of the town.

"The refurbishment of this centrepiece building will be key to attracting new visitors to the area and is another step towards making our town centres fit for future generations."

A separate bid is also being submitted to the National Lottery Heritage Fund by Yarm Town Council in order to develop a full heritage-based activity programme at the centre.

Councillor Peter Monck, who leads on the project for Yarm Town Council, said: "On behalf of Yarm Town Council, I would like to thank Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council for supporting this project, Architects Howarth Litchfield and all the staff at Wharton Construction for realising the restoration of Yarm Town Hall.

"It is another milestone in Yarm's history to see our vision created as this brilliant concept. Four years in the planning and funding journey now allows Yarm Town Hall Heritage Centre to begin the process of bringing to life Yarm's history; past, present and future."

Yarm Town Hall Heritage Centre is set to open its doors in late autumn.

Find more information on how the Council is reshaping its six town centres.