Plans for the restoration of the Grade II* Listed Old Town Hall and Market Place in Whitby have been submitted for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent. The project will build on the history and heritage of the area, provide a key focal point for the town and ensure the building is sustainable and income-generating in the long term. The scheme has secured funding from the Government’s Town Fund and is one of nine projects for which Whitby has secured £17.1 million in total.
Artist’s impression of the refurbished Old Town Hall and Market Place
The Grade II* Listed Old Town Hall is located within the East Cliff area of the seaside town of Whitby. The gradient of the site is such that the market square slopes up from Harbour to the Town Hall entrance. The location on Church Street is notable due to its proximity to the famous 199 steps leading to St. Marys Church and the historic Whitby Abbey. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538, the Cholmley family bought Whitby abbey and a number of other buildings in Whitby. Nathaniel Cholmley commissioned Jonathan Pickernell to build the classical Town hall in 1788. Pickernell was also responsible for building the Grade II listed West Pier in Whitby between 1734 and 1817.
The Old Town Hall Whitby, from a woodcut used to illustrate “History of Whitby” published by Rev. George Young in 1817.
This project will revitalise the Old Town Hall building and Market Place in Whitby through renovation and renewal. Restoration of the building will secure its structural integrity and improve the visual appearance of this unique heritage asset in the heart of the old town. The available floor space in both the first floor & undercroft will be repurposed to provide year-round community and cultural activities.
The proposal seeks to upgrade and refurbish the undercroft (ground floor) improving the current market usage and allowing the space to function as an event space on non-market days. The first floor will undergo the necessary refurbishment for use as an exhibition and community space. New landscaping will help create a vibrant and bustling year round market place, with 81sqm of improved quality of public realm and improved facilities for market traders, driving an increase in footfall and dwell times.
Subject to agreement, Whitby Town Council will take over management of the Old Town Hall building and Market Place to fulfil the vision of restoring the building as a key focal point for the community of Whitby. Working with Whitby Museum, Pannett Art Gallery, and other heritage facilities within Whitby, the proposals will create an engaging, inspiring and interactive exhibition space which will be flexible in its use to ensure usage of the space is maximised to its full potential ensuring long term viability and sustainability.