The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge

Description

The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge is the first community-owned Town Hall in the north of England and is a symbol of what a community can do when it pulls together with a common ambition and vision.

Grade 2 listed and dating from 1897, the original Town Hall is a Victorian building with a rich history. The building has had many functions over the years and once was used as the local fire station and to house the council offices.

In 2010 the Hebden Bridge Community Association (HBCA) was formed. Through an innovative Asset Transfer Scheme, the HBCA acquired The Town Hall from Calderdale Council.

The HBCA’s vision was to transform, what was at the time, a barely used building falling into disrepair into a state-of-the-art centre for community and creative enterprise – putting it back at the centre of the town’s civic life.

The HBCA went on to raise £3.7m for a major development on the site and additions to The Town Hall built in the 1960s were knocked down to create a space for major new modern extension that would sit alongside and complement the original building.

In 2012, a large new contemporary community and business building was opened offering a range of spaces for community, enterprise and recreational use. The new Town Hall combines a range of services for local people and crucially, creative businesses that reflects the Town’s dynamic, independent spirit. Offering state of the art fibre optic wi-fi, a range of office units for businesses, a light and airy cafe and one of the largest conferencing and event venues in the Calder Valley, the new Town Hall is already buzzing with activity – rightfully taking its place again as the beating heart of Hebden Bridge’s rich community life.