Public Hall and Corn Exchange, Henblas Street, Wrexham, Clwyd

OPENING OF WREXHAM PUBLIC HALL AND CORN EXCHANGE —The new Public Hall and Corn Exchange, Wrexham, which has been converted out of the old Yorkshire-hall at a cost of about £6,000, has been opened. The new hall will seat over 1,500 people. The larger hall is 80 ft. long by nearly 50 ft. wide, and lighted from the top. A balcony runs all round, capable of holding 400. A stage is erected at one end, and behind are green-rooms, lavatories, cloakrooms, and other conveniences. Running round the hall on the ground-floor are suites of offices and store-rooms; on the first floor are also offices and refreshment-rooms; while on the third floor is a suite of rooms, including billiard-rooms, reading-room, &c, which will be taken by a gentlemen's club about to be formed in Wrexham. There is on this story a small concert-room. The architects were Messrs. Holden & Co., Manchester; and the contractor is Mr. W. E. Samuel, Wrexham. [Builder 14 June 1873 page 476]

CORN EXCHANGE AND PUBLIC HALL, WREXHAM - This building was opened last week by Sir W Wynn, Bart, MP. Originally it formed the old Yorkshire Hall; and the cost of conversion was about £5,000. Messrs Holden and Co, of Manchester, were the architects, and Mr W. E. Samuel, of Wrexham, was the contractor. [The Architect 14 June 1873 page 320]

PUBLIC HALL, WREXHAM - The principal entrance to the building is in Henblas-street, and this leads to the large hall on the ground floor, and by means of a staircase to a small concert-room, billiard, smoking, and reading-rooms. To the right are three ladies' and gentlemen's retiring-rooms, and these apartments can also be placed at the disposal of performers on the occasion of entertainments. Above these is the refreshment department.

The hall is 96 feet long by 44 wide, and the roof is about 40 feet high. All round runs a gallery, with two rows of seats to accommodate 400 persons, inclusive of which it is anticipated that the hall will hold 1200. The light is extremely good, a large portion of the roof, which is supported by hammer beam frames, being glass, and there are a number of ventilators to allow the heated air to escape. The blank walls over the gallery are panelled, so that if it is thought advisable they may admit of being embellished by paintings. Although peculiar, the shape is not unpleasing; still some few people have given it as their opinion that the whole erection should have been pulled down for the purpose of making it more symmetrical. But to have done so would have entailed an expenditure of £2,000, which certainly was a great consideration, and even if such an idea were carried out, the structure would not be any more, perhaps less, convenient than at present, and utility would be sacrificed for the sake of ornament..  ...There will be every facility of egress, there being to the gallery alone three doors on the south side. On the ground are six store rooms, suitable for wine merchants, or bonded goods and there is a separate entrance to them; above these is a range of offices and store rooms, which have been taken by Mr Kidd, the secretary of the company.

Ascending, we come across lavatories, &c., and reading, smoke, and billiard-rooms, which will be taken possession of by the Wrexham gentleman's club, now being organised. The latter compartment is ever the refreshment bar, and is very light and airy, and in every respect it is apparently calculated to please the tastes of those who delight in this popular pastime. Its dimension: are 42 feet by 23 feet, and at present it contains two tables, manufactured by Messrs. Orme and Son, of Manchester, but if necessary there is ample accommodation for three. Adjoining is a smoke-room, and further on we come to a spacious room 49 feet by 23 feet. This will be found convenient for committee meetings, and concerts on a small scale. On the north, the ground floor is occupied by eight offices, above which are more offices, and facing the potato market are two shops.

Amongst a few of the residents it has been urged that an entrance to the building ought to he made from Hope-street, and the suggestion has, perhaps, met with favour in some quarters. However, this would necessitate the purchasing of a quantity of land which separates the hall from the above street, probably at a great expense, besides which the company would have had a considerable quantity of property on their hands which could not be made available. If such a project were carried out, an arcade would have to be built, and to attend to this a servant would have to be employed. Messrs. Isaac Holden and Son of Manchester, were the architects, and Mr W. E. Samuel, the builder, who contracted to carry out the alterations for £3,700.' [Wrexham Advertiser, 7th June, 1873.]

Opened on 3 June 1873. Destroyed by fire in 1906. Wrexham Hippodrome built on the site.

Reference    Builder 14 June 1873 page 476
Reference    The Architect 14 June 1873 page 320
Reference    Wrexham Advertiser 7 June 1873