St George’s Concert Hall in Bradford is the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Britain and the third oldest in Europe. The Grade 2* Listed building is home to the longest running orchestral season in the UK. It is owned and managed by the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (CBMDC).

Evening view of the Theatre in 1953 before the side ramp

Our work at the venue has maintained and improved the building as one of Bradford’s key heritage venues and cultural attractions, through the implementation of improved audience flow and experience, restoring heritage features and making good on previously unsympathetic works undertaken after a fire in the 1980s including the front of house and bar / restaurant areas of the Hall which had been stripped of their original character and spatial relationships.

The new welcome for the visitor starts with an improved street presence and visible animation of the interior. New minimally glazed screens with automated doors provide a new crystalline but sensitive modern threshold that gives the theatre a new front door and address. It is a strong statement that things have changed and on a practical level, the new glazed enclosure allows for footfall to easily enter the building from two directions.

Renovated Hall Ings elevation

The historic mosaic tiled floor of the original Hall Ings entrance hall has been revealed, cleaned and restored. Our approach was one of conservation of the existing and infilling of the gaps, rather than reinstating missing sections of mosaic, thereby maintaining the scars of the various building alterations in recent years.

The Mosaic floor uncovered during construction

The Original Foyer in 1903, with mosaic visible to floor

We also reinstated the 3 entrance double doors from Hall Ings within the existing door frames and to reinstate the visual connection to the upper level first floor ‘mezzanine’ bar.

New cafe doors to historic Hall Ings entrance

The historic interior of the auditorium hall remained essentially intact and has always been a satisfying space. It has now been re-seated with adjustments to the tiering to improve sightlines and audience comfort. The existing finishes within the auditorium have been refurbished including new acoustic curtains to allow for blackout and isolation from the traffic noise in the streets below.

Overall, our work has improved the aesthetic of the front of house spaces and the overall access, flow and visitor experience to the concert hall. The restoration and development of St George’s Hall has re-invigorated the venue and provided an exciting opportunity to engage a large number of people with the Hall and its heritage, much of which had been concealed for a long time.