Victoria Hall

Client: Bolton Methodist Mission

Location: Bolton Town Centre

Budget: £4.5 million

Status: Ongoing

FPL has been the appointed architects working with the Bolton Methodist Mission at the Victoria Hall for the past seven years. FPL have been at the forefront of conserving the Grade II listed 1300 seater hall, completing the first phase of works in 2013, and due to commence the next phase in September 2014.

FPL have guided the Client on submitting an application to the HLF for £4.5 million to restore the hall and facilities and to work with Bolton Council to deliver a project in joint partnership to extend its current usage to make the project viable for the future and extending its heritage making it one of Bolton’s and Manchester’s top concert venues.

We have built our relationship with the client, providing them with professional knowledge and expertise to assist guiding them through the applications for HLF funding. In schemes such as this where the client is not experienced in building projects, FPL has remained committed to the community project, where finances are very limited. It is

our mission to protect and restore the heritage, assisting in schemes with clients independent of their experience or financial position. FPL has carried out all of the design and professional guidance on the HLF schemes at its own risk to provide a foundation for this listed building and community to build a hope for the future. The application for this scheme is due to be submitted in September 2014.

An important part of the design for the Victoria Centre has been in the conversion of its present out of date facilities into a modern event space with ancillary facilities such as a coffee shop, bistro, ticket office, shop etc, that is DDA compliant and meets the very highest of modern standards whilst protecting the heritage. The scheme for the Victoria Centre has seen FPL working with both the Client and Bolton Music Service (part of Bolton Council) as part of a joint

venture. FPL has designed and developed the strategy for one harmonised building with two users with different philosophies and requirements. FPL flourish in obtaining client brief requirements and the formulation of ‘distilled’ project briefs.

• Categories: Listed Buildings and Conservation