Thousands flock to see historic hall
A STAGGERING number of visitors flocked to Coventry last month to catch a glimpse of one of the city’s hidden gems.
Closed for a number of years whilst going through a painstaking restoration project, Drapers Hall in the city centre was opened up for Heritage Open Days - and thousands of people seized the chance to take a look inside.
Across several dates in September, some 2,055 visitors took a look around the splendid but often overlooked building on Bayley Lane.
Overlooked only because it has remained empty since the early 1990s.
But that is soon set to change as there are plans to open it up 2020, turning it into a music venue for the city’s young musicians.
As part of Coventry’s Heritage Open Days , the Grade II-listed hall was open to host a special exhibition on Royal Women of Influence in Medieval Coventry.
Visitors were also able to see the restoration and transformation plans for the first time.
The Hall is being restored and transformed by Historic Coventry Trust and The Prince’s Foundation into a focal point for music in the city.
The Hall will provide a performance space and educational facility for Coventry’s young musicians with Coventry Music Service being the main tenants of the Hall.
Nicola Dyer, senior project manager at The Prince’s Foundation, said: “We knew that there would be interest in seeing inside a building that has been an important part of Coventry’s past, but the amount of interest in the plans for Drapers Hall has been amazing.
“Speaking to local people, we’ve heard the great affection and value the building holds for the city, and people’s desire to see it brought back into use.
“We have had a very positive response to our drawings, designs and plans for the hall. Drapers Hall is going to be a fantastic facility for Coventry and we’re really proud and privileged to be bringing the Foundation’s design and building expertise to the project.” Behinds its understated entrance lies a beautiful grand ballroom, original Georgian features, decorative ceilings and a vast basement once used as an air raid shelter. The planning application for the hall is expected to be submitted in the next few weeks. A key part of the project will be understanding the archaeological significance of the site, and a team of archaeologists will be on site this autumn to carry out a detailed investigation to the rear of building.
The hall is expected to open in 2020 in time for Coventry becoming the UK’s City of Culture in 2021.