Stretford Public Hall

Designed in mixed gothic revival style by architect N. Lofthouse, Stretford Public Hall was built in 1878 for local community use by textile millionaire, John Rylands. After the death of Ryland’s widow, the building was purchased by Stretford Council and served various roles before opening in 1949 as the Stretford Civic Theatre, with a well-equipped stage for the use of local groups. Over time the building fell into disrepair, despite being designated a Grade II listed structure in 1987. Trafford Council later refurbished and converted the hall to serve as council offices in the mid-1990s. It was re-opened in 1997 and once again named Stretford Public Hall. In February 2015 the building was purchased from Trafford Council by community organisation The Friends of Stretford Public Hall with plans to return the venue to community use, including a theatre. The listed two storey building is in Gothic Revival style, brick with ashlar dressings and decorative stone reliefs beneath a slate roof. The façade is symmetrical with the exception of a dormer window to one side of the central clock tower. The sash windows on the ground floor are in pairs with separating colonnettes and carved roundels to the arched stone lintels. On the first floor the sash windows have ornate cast-iron balconies. A similar balcony features at the third level of the clock tower. There are symmetrical stone pinnacles at the corners of the façade, complementing the steep pyramid shaped roof of the clock tower. Notable internal features include the floor and wall tiles and grand staircase in the entrance hall. The main hall is large and flat floored with a balcony supported on columns at one end.