A community café will be opened in Barrow Town Hall when the town’s Forum closes at the end of March.
The Forum is being forced to close for up to two years due to work in the next-door market hall.
The next phase of asbestos removal at the market – due to start at the end of March – will require the use of heavy machinery that will cause vibration that could also disturb asbestos that is currently safely contained in the Forum building next door.
Westmorland & Furness Council said the café is part of plans to revitalise and open up more of the town hall building to the community while the Forum is out of action.
Other plans being developed include relocating community services such as the banking hub, conferencing facilities, shows and events.
Steph Cordon, director of thriving communities at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “The café in the Forum is not only a place where people enjoy a bite to eat and get a drink, it is also a welcoming and valuable community space in the town centre.
“Whether to purely meet and socialise with others, or to connect with supportive and trusted council team members, the café acts as a much-needed community hub, reducing loneliness while providing access to support and local information.
“When we knew we would need to close the Forum due to the next phase of asbestos removal in the market hall, one of our immediate priorities was to look to re-provide the café and toilet facilities to minimise impact on the community and also to look at how we could move shows and events, including the popular conference and meeting spaces.
“We can now announce that we are working on plans to set up a community café across the road in the town hall, and we are exploring other ways we can use the town hall for more events and activities displaced by the Forum’s temporary closure.
“The full details of the plans are still being worked through, but we wanted to make the announcement now to offer reassurance about our intentions.
“While the toilet facilities in the Forum are unavailable, toilets will be available in the town hall and we are also revamping the public toilets on Fell Street, to ensure continued access to toilets at that end of the town centre.’’
Funding was agreed before Christmas to support the asbestos removal works, as part of a multi-million-pound rejuvenation of Barrow Market.
The investment in the market is part of a major government-backed programme to improve Barrow town centre and 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.
Ms Cordon added: “It is hugely regrettable that we are having to close the Forum during the works on the market hall, but in the interests of the safety of everyone, public, performers and staff, we will not be able to keep the Forum open while the next phase of works are being undertaken from the end of March.
“Our teams are now working hard to minimise the impact, and we have already been able to re-locate a number of shows and events.
“Working with promoters we have successfully agreed to move eight productions so far to the town hall, with more to be hopefully confirmed in the next few weeks.
“So far events featuring artists including Aled Jones, West End star Kerry Ellis, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and local performers from Abbey Musical Society will now take place in the stunning setting of the town hall. Ticket holders are being kept informed about any venue changes.
“We are also working with organisations and partners to deliver a reading festival, chess competition and Barrowful’s annual Festival of Colours using the town hall as the main venue.
“The Forum has always allowed some local community groups and charities to use the foyer area for pop-up information stands to promote and help raise awareness of their activities and we will be happy to discuss continuing these opportunities for community organisations in the town hall.
“The Barclays Banking Hub that currently operates from the Forum will also be moving across to the town hall from the end of March.
“The decision to open up the town hall for the community café and as a venue for shows and conferences is a very positive step and we’re also working on some really creative and exciting ideas to take the Forum ‘on tour’, actively exploring options for using other local indoor and outdoor venues for events and activities.
“We would like to reassure people that the Forum will definitely be reopening, but we want to ensure we mitigate the impact of the forthcoming closure as much as possible.
“We may need to close the Forum building during this period, but we are determined that the Forum’s role – and the valuable contribution its many activities and facilities provide for the community – will continue in Barrow.’’
