A unique Georgian cloth hall is now home to a year-round programme of street theatre, music concerts and seasonal events, a heritage centre and gallery for visual arts and several independent shops and retailers. The Piece Hall Trust, and its commercial subsidiary Piece Hall Enterprises Ltd, ensure that operations are largely covered through its own commercial activities. The renovation has made the Piece Hall itself into a popular place for local and (inter)national visitors and has also contributed to the regeneration of the broader economy.
The Piece Hall was built in 1779 as a trading area for textile, and with its 315 rooms, it provided ample space for clothiers from Halifax and elsewhere. Being the only remaining Georgian cloth hall globally, the complex offers a unique example of the 18th-century ambition and dominance of the textile industry around Yorkshire. With the industrial revolution causing changes in the textile industry, the Piece Hall got more varied uses over the course of the 18th century. In 1891, it became a wholesale market for game, fish, fruit and vegetables. Since 1927, the Piece Hall is considered an Ancient Monument, and since 1954 it has been a Grade 1 listed building. In 1972, the City Council started with a renovation of the building, and in 1976 it was reopened for public use. It becomes home to small shops, an Art Gallery and Museum and a Tourist Information Centre. [1] In 2012, it was decided that the deteriorating state of the building, as well as declining visitor numbers, require a new restoration project. This is to revive the Piece Hall as a historic visitor attraction in its right and as a critical driver for wider economic regeneration. [1;3]
In 2014, the Hall closed for restoration, to be re-opened in 2017. [1;2] The large courtyard in the middle of the building has been transformed into an attractive public space that now is home to a year-round programme of street theatre, music concerts and seasonal events. Surrounding the courtyard, one can find a mix of over 40 independent restaurants, bars, shops and cafés. There is a gallery for visual arts, a newly erected heritage centre dedicated to Georgian Halifax, and organised workshops and exhibitions. Part of these events is free of charge, mainly aimed at enabling the participation of the local population. [1;3]
The renovations of the building have received a range of awards, including the Historic England Angel Award in the category Best Rescue of a Historic Building in 2017. [1] An independent report estimates that the large scale restoration project has contributed £7.200.000 (approximately €8.600.000) a year in gross value added to the local economy. This is due to its effect on direct employment, the events hosted, and the space it provides to start-ups and small businesses. In 2019, two years after re-opening, it was estimated that Piece Hall had received 5 million visitors. Increased footfall measured at surrounding sites suggests the renovation has also contributed to increased economic activity in the surrounding area. [2;3]
The restoration of the Piece Hall was led by Calderdale Council, in close cooperation with Historic England and other partners. In 2013, the Piece Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered charity, was established. This trust is now in charge of the operational management of the complex. It is overseen by a board of nine trustees and an executive officer and supported by a growing number of patrons. [1] A team of approximately 30 employees conducts daily operations. They are supported by a group of volunteers who help welcome visitors, conduct guided tours and educational programmes, and organise events. [1;3]
Commercial activities of the trust are conducted through Piece Hall Enterprises Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Piece Hall Trust. [1] This enterprise employs approximately 20 employees and operates the four commercial outlets in ownership of the trust, namely a restaurant, a deli, an ice-cream parlour and the function rooms. [3]
The Piece Hall has been restored through a £22.000.000 (approximately €26.380.000) joint funding programme by Calderdale Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Garfield Weston Foundation and The Wolfson Foundation [1;2]
In 2019/2020, 77% of the £3.210.000 income (approximately €3.851.500) was generated through organisational activities. This includes the commercial activities conducted through Piece Hall Enterprises Ltd and rental income from businesses operating from the Piece Hall. The remaining 23% of income was provided through public funding and subsidies. Of this public funding, 8,5% was accounted for by Calderdale Council, meaning a reduction of over 40% compared to the previous year. [3]
The Piece Hall, initiative website, https://www.thepiecehall.co.uk/, accessed on 21/02/2022
Historic England (2020), Heritage and the Economy 2020, on behalf of the Historic Environment Forum Project Code: HE005, available on https://historicengland.org.uk/content/heritage-counts/pub/2020/heritage-and-the-economy-2020/, accessed on 21/02/2022
The Piece Hall, Annual review 2019/2020, available on https://www.thepiecehall.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/The-Piece-Hall-Annual-Review.pdf, accessed on 21/02/2022