Council suspends £38m refurb work on Civic Hall

City of Wolverhampton Council has suspended site works on the Civic Halls’ refurbishment due to coronavirus.

The authority said the scheme is at a stage that means it is no longer possible for employees of the contractor, Willmott Dixon Interiors, and its sub-contractors to work in accordance with the UK Government guidelines and maintain the required levels of health and safety.

The site will temporarily shut down until it is safe to re-start operations.

Cabinet member for city economy, Councillor Harman Banger, said: “This is an extremely difficult time for the whole country. The coronavirus outbreak has had a huge impact on everyone’s lives across all sectors – and this delay to the Civic Halls programme is simply beyond our control.

“Our priority is people’s health and safety above all else and we must follow the government guidelines on site safety.

“As soon as site works are able to recommence we will promptly swing back into action to complete the improvements that will enable Wolves Civic to attract significantly more popular and prestigious entertainment acts, while retaining the current characteristics that make it popular with performers, producers and audiences.”

Wolves Civic, a Grade II-listed building, is undergoing a £38.1m transformation and was planned to re-open in autumn 2021.