New funding has been recommended to further support a multi-million pound rejuvenation of Barrow town centre.
Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet has today (Tuesday, 17 December) recommended to full council that £6m of additional funding is approved to support the delivery of critical enabling works, including asbestos removal and structural repairs, as part of a major government-backed investment in Barrow Market Hall and nearby public realm improvements. Full council will make a final decision at their meeting in January.
The scheme is an integral part of wider ambitions to help Barrow become a more attractive, thriving and vibrant place for people to live and visit, being delivered through the £200m Team Barrow programme working with national government and BAE Systems.
Specialist work is being undertaken to remove asbestos from areas of the Barrow market building. The Market Hall is closed to allow these works to be carried out safely and traders have been relocated to temporary units in the town centre.
The next phase of asbestos removal – due to commence at the end of March 2025 – will require the use of heavy machinery that will cause vibration. The council commissioned an independent expert assessment of the likely impact on the neighbouring Forum, which shares some of its structural components with the market building.
This assessment has determined that there is a risk that asbestos, currently safely contained in the Forum building, could be disturbed by the works starting in the market.
This means, to protect the public and staff, the council has taken the difficult but responsible decision to close the whole of the Forum building while this work on the market hall is carried out.
Initial estimates suggest this phase of works could take around two years.
Councillor Virginia Taylor, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Sustainable Communities and Localities, said: “We have now received that report and it is clear that, in the interests of the safety of everyone, public, performers and staff, we will not be able to keep the Forum open while those works are being undertaken in the market hall.
“The temporary closure of The Forum is hugely regrettable and will clearly impact on shows and events planned for next year and beyond. I am really sorry this has to be done and would like to apologise to everyone who will be inconvenienced by the closure.
“I know the Forum staff are particularly disappointed by this news but will be pulling out all the stops to ensure we do our very best for our customers, promoters, local groups who enjoy their turn on the Forum’s stage and everyone else who uses the Forum. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, who work so hard year-round to make the Forum a great venue.
“We appreciate the importance of the Forum to the Barrow community and we all look forward to reopening the Forum as soon as possible once the works are completed.’’
Events before the works starting in March 2025 will go ahead as planned, including this year’s Christmas production ‘Santa Express’.
A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council added: “Even though the works that will impact on the Forum do not start until March next year, we have acted quickly to make this announcement now so that we can inform residents, ticket holders, promoters, and local groups who use the Forum as soon as possible.
“We will be working hard between now and March next year with promoters and event organisers to see if we can re-locate or re-schedule shows and conference facilities and we are hopeful that many events will still be able to go ahead. We are also looking at options to relocate the popular café and toilet facilities.
“Ticket holders for events scheduled at the Forum post-March 2025 are being contacted directly about those events with advice about their options.
“We appreciate that this leads to some uncertainly, particularly while we are working on potential alternative provision for events. We will keep everyone informed and thank people for their understanding and patience while we work through this process.’’
Tickets for events scheduled for post-March 2025 are being taken off sale immediately. Should those events be subsequently rescheduled for an alternative venue, ticket sales will be reopened.
There is no risk to current users of the Forum building, including customers and staff. No traces of asbestos have been found in air quality tests and the building will remain open until the next stage of asbestos removal works at the market hall commence at the end of March 2025.
The theatre space in the Forum building is currently closed following a roof leak which disturbed some asbestos above the main theatre, but this has been safely isolated with the closure of the theatre.
All other asbestos in the Forum building is currently safely contained. Any risk associated with asbestos in the Forum only becomes an issue if it is disturbed by the heavy machinery works in the market hall, which won’t start until the end of March 2025.
- Any Forum customers with immediate questions about the closure next year can email: theforum@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk