Stretford Public Hall

  
I recently did some voluntary work (fixing two toilets) at Stretford Public Hall. The hall was built in 1878, by local philanthropist and entrepreneur John Rylands. It was in use for well over 100 years before its closure in 2012.

In the summer of 2015, it was handed over in stewardship to the Friends Of Stretford Hall, who have hopes to turn it into a community space with various different uses. There’s an Artists Space, and offices which are now in use and help to fund the ongoing maintenance that the building needs. 

The building itself is beautiful; there’s so many period features that are representative of the time it was built. The space is versatile, and ultimately quite rare since a lot of buildings like this have been demolished in recent years. The Friends hope to turn it into a centre that can accommodate meetings, hold fitness classes, have a cafe and be a hub for the surrounding community. The plans to get the building ready to host weddings and other celebrations are fantastic; the staircase in the centre of the building is the perfect photo spot! 

I hope to continue to support the building, by offering my skills and services when they need it. There’s a number of other local firms who support the centre and it’s vital that people continue to do so. More information can be found on their website, Stretford Public Hall.