Piece Hall has contributed more than £50m since 2017
Halifax Piece Hall has recorded its most successful year since it re-opened after a multi-million pound refurbishment in 2017.
Ninety per cent of the major Calderdale heritage landmark and tourist attraction’s income now comes from its own activities, according to its annual report.
Halifax's Piece Hall Trust brought in £4.6m in 2021-22 10 per cent of which was from Calderdale Council support.
Trust chair Sir Roger Marsh said this was a "significant" shift from 2018 when almost half of its £1.6 million income – 44 per cent – was from council funding.
He said over the five years since the historic former cloth hall had re-opening in 2017 it has contributed in excess of £50 million to Calderdale, in line with its original goal of becoming a key driver of the borough’s economy, bringing in an independently analysed £5.30 for every £1 spent on its running costs.
It is also living up to its goal of becoming an internationally admired, widely visited and highly successful attraction in its own right, he said.
The Piece Hall Trust’s latest report covers the 18th century Grade I-listed building’s first year after the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021-22.
“Astonishingly, from April 2021 to November 2021, the period just after lockdown, 1.8 million visitors came to the Piece Hall, which is a reflection of how close it is to many people’s hearts and the variety of activities on offer,” he said.
The trust’s chief executive officer, Nicky ChanceThompson, said 9.8 million visitors had now been to the Piece Hall since re-opening, footfall contributing significantly to Halifax and borough-wide regeneration.
In 2021-22, income was up 75 per cent on the previous, Covid-hit, year and gross profits increased by £1.53 million to £3.46 million.
Among many events, the Live at the Piece Hall series of concerts featuring artists including The Specials, Manic Street Preachers and New Order alone brought 40,000 people into the borough.
Ms Chance-Thompson said a five-year agreement with promoters is ensuring the highest quality of events and performers, who have since included Paul Weller and Tom Jones.