Proposed New Town Hall, Bexley Square Salford

At intervals throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Salford Corporation would debate the provision of a new town hall, In 1930 another such attempt was made and yet again the Council failed to reach a conclusion.  Only with Local Government reorganisation and the move to Swinton Town Hall in 1974 was the matter finally resolved.

PROPOSED NEW TOWN HALL FOR SALFORD - For some months a special committee of the Salford Council has been considering the provision of additional Town Hall accommodation. In the early stages of their investigations seven schemes were examined, and were later reduced to three, one proposal being that a new Town Hall should be erected on the island site below the Crescent the second that a Town Hall should be built in Leaf Square, Pendleton, and the third scheme suggested the extension of the existing Town Hall on the east side, with a frontage to Bexley Square and Browning Street. Eventually the committee came to the conclusion that adequate accommodation could be provided under the extension scheme and appointed Mr. H. S. Fairhurst, architect. Manchester, to submit sketch plans and a drawing of the proposed elevation in relation to the existing building. The architect estimates that the cost of the proposed enlargement scheme will amount to £160.000. In his report to the committee, he states: "This figure is for the new buildings finished complete, and includes cost, of refacing front of the present, Town Hall and the necessary works in connecting the new and the old buildings, and on an assumed bare site. This does not include the cost of land or buildings thereon which would have to be acquired. It also exclusive of the formation of and widening. new streets. In a memorandum the committee point out that, " the costs of the acquisition and clearing of the site, the formation of new streets and the square, and any remodelling of the interior of the existing building must accordingly be added to the figure of £160,000. These latter costs. however, have not yet been ascertained." The committee do not make any recommendation, but if the extension scheme meets with approval it would result in an imposing and dignified building of classical style. and would incorporate the existing Town Hall. On the other hand. the Council may desire to see drawings of the suggested new Town Hall on the two sites indicated. A town hall on the Crescent land is estimated to cost (including £32.900 for widening the Crescent). and a new building in Leaf Square is calculated to cost £330.000. In the event of the Council adopting the scheme for the enlargement of the present Town Hall, cottage and other property to the east would be demolished. and Bexley Square would be extended from the Electricity Department show-rooms on the west to St. Stephen Street. [Manchester Guardian 2 September 1930 page 12]

Reference        Builder 6 May 1932 Page 821
Reference        Manchester Guardian 2 September 1930 page 12 with illustration