Preston Guild Hall

Preston Guild Hall stands in the centre of Preston, Lancashire, beside the bus station and multi-storey car park. The building opened in 1973 as a replacement for the old Public Hall. It was designed by Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall but finished a year late for the 1972 Preston Guild. The complex contains two performance spaces: the Grand Hall seats 2,034 and the Charter Theatre seats 780. A covered footbridge links the halls directly to the bus station. The venue has hosted major names in music and the arts. The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Libor Pešek and Vasily Petrenko have all performed there. Led Zeppelin and David Bowie appeared in 1973, The Smiths in 1986, and Bing Crosby gave one of his last concerts in September 1977. Between 1978 and 1997 it staged the UK Snooker Championship. In 2013 the council nearly demolished the hall because of high running costs before selling it to local businessman Simon Rigby for £1. Visitors now find a large entertainment complex with two auditoriums. The Grand Hall is the main space for orchestras and big acts. The smaller Charter Theatre hosts plays, recitals and community shows. The footbridge provides quick access from the bus station. After a period of closure and legal disputes, the building is due to reopen in March 2024 following renovation work prompted by concerns over aerated concrete.