Town hall will be ready to entertain the world in 2021
Work at the new-look Paisley Town Hall is firing ahead and a music insider says the “investment is great news for gig-goers”.
The transformation includes new rooms and an increased capacity allowing performers to bring new life to the town.
The magnificent Victorianera town hall is currently undergoing major internal refurbishment into what will be one of the West of Scotland’s landmark entertainment venues when it reopens in 2021.
Renfrewshire Council is leading the work to turn the much- loved 19th- century architectural gem into a 21stcentury facility which will drive new footfall to the area, while delivering upgrades essential to keep it at the heart of local life for generations to come.
Features Express readers can look forward to seeing in the revamped building include:
● The capacity of the main hall increased to 1,200 for a standing gig, allowing the venue to attract bigger and better shows than ever before, boosting the local night-time economy;
● Entirely new rooms created inside the current building – including a new café-bar and dance studio built in currentlyunused space. There will also be a smaller venue-within-avenue – meaning more use, more footfall, and a better range of community events;
● A transformed audience experience including lowered stage, new seating, better sightlines and acoustics, new reception area, and much improved access to and around the building and
● An entire replacement of the building’s decades-old electrical and mechanical equipment, and improved backroom facilities allowing more w e d d i n g s and conferences.
The council is taking forward the £ 22m work as part of a much bigger investment in the town centre designed to change the area’s future using its internationally-significant cultural and heritage story.
That includes a transformation of Paisley Museum which will almost quadruple current visitor numbers, a new modern home for library services on the High Street, and major investment in key outdoor spaces such as Abbey Close and County Square to create places which will keep residents, students and visitors in the town for longer.
The building’s operators Renfrewshire Leisure have already been speaking to some of Scotland’s top music promoters about using the venue when it reopens.
Mark Mackie, of Regular Music, has worked with some of the industry’s biggest names as the man behind massive gigs including castle concerts at Edinburgh Castle and Summer Nights at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand.
He said: “As a Paisley Buddie myself, I’m really excited about the transformation of the town hall.
“This investment is great news for gig-goers in the west of Scotland and it’s definitely a venue Regular Music would look to bring bands to.”
Councillor Lisa- Marie Hughes, chair of Renfrewshire Leisure, said the venue is expected to attract double its usual numbers when it reopens.
“Paisley Town Hall is a muchloved building which has been at the heart of life in the town for generations – but to keep it there the interior of this beautiful building needs the revamp now being delivered.”