Latest Guild Hall plan bowls over planners

THE latest phase in the multi-million pound transformation of Preston’s Guild Hall, the city’s leading entertainment and leisure complex, has been given the go-ahead by planners.
 
Plans submitted to convert the basement and ground floor levels of the venue into a 10-pin bowling alley, nine-hole crazy golf course, karaoke booths, a sports bar and dining room, were approved by Preston City councillors yesterday.
 
The project, developed for the Guild Hall’s owners The Rigby Organisation, will see a new entrance on Lord Street – directly facing the city’s iconic Bus Station, where a £23m Youth Zone and new piazza are being built – opening up the Guild Hall and replacing the existing underpass.
 
Preston-based architect, design and project management practice FWP has created an ambitious masterplan for the gradual redevelopment of the 1970s venue for The Rigby Organisation.
 
It involves the creation of modern, attractive restaurants and bars, such as the recently opened Villa Italian, as well as redesigning the external areas.
 
The latest Guild Hall attraction will be called LeVel and FWP is carrying out the full design work, including creating the venue’s logo and branding.
 
The new venue will breathe life back into the former Morrison’s supermarket site that has been empty for years.
 
FWP’s architect overseeing the Guild Hall redevelopment is Seb Salisbury who submitted the planning application to Preston City Council working alongside PWA Planning, the Lancashire-based consultancy.
 
Salisbury said: “We are really excited by this next phase in the redevelopment of the Guild Hall. The internal basement and ground floor areas will be totally transformed by the creation of a fantastic new boutique bowling leisure facility.
 
“LeVel will create a vibrant new offering in Preston city centre and help to further establish the reputation of the Guild Hall as a destination leisure attraction.
 
“Creating a new entrance also opens the Guild Hall up to transformation of the bus station and the revitalisation of the public realm in the area.
 
“It is the latest stage in the vision that The Rigby Group has to create a vibrant cultural hub of entertainment, arts and leisure and it is great to see the city council getting behind the plan to help boost Preston’s standing in the region and its economy.”
 
FWP, which has offices in Preston, Manchester and London, has been involved in the Guild Hall project from day one.
 
FWP is one of the biggest architecture, design and project management practices in the region. As with all its work on the Guild Hall, the plan is to give a 21st-century feel to the iconic 1970s entertainment venue.
 
Salisbury added: “The venue is very close to the hearts of many Prestonians and in all our designs and concepts we are committed to breathing new life into what had become a tired building.
 
“Our work also looks to better connect the Guild Hall with the public and the city centre, drawing more people in to its growing list of attractions.”
 
Over the years the Guild Hall has hosted many major events – with pop icons such as The Osmonds and the Jackson Five performing as well as David Bowie and Elton John. For many years the Guild Hall was home to the UK Snooker Championship.

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