Stoke Newington Town Hall officially ‘at risk’ after being vacant ‘for many years’

Stoke Newington Town Hall, pictured in 2016.

A government body has declared Hackney’s Stoke Newington Town Hall at risk of loss and in need of protection.

On 14 November, the nearly 90-year-old, Grade II-listed building was placed on Historic England’s ‘Heritage At Risk’ register, joining the list of sites considered most in danger of “being lost as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development”.

Despite extensive restoration work in 2009, Historic England found the hall “has been largely vacant for many years, with failing roofs and rainwater goods causing instability and damage to internal fabric and preventing full use of the building”.

Constructed between 1935 and 1937, the municipal hall was formerly the political headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Stoke Newington, before it was consolidated into the new London Borough of Hackney as part of local government reforms in the 1960s.

Designed by J Reginald Truelove, its striking art deco architecture, domed chamber ceiling and vaulted galleries have since made it a popular wedding venue.

In recent years, a converted bunker built beneath the ground floor during the Second World War has been used by police as its CCTV hub.

But fresh doubts over the future of the establishment follow longstanding concerns over the need for repairs.

Though the local authority had poured £8 million into major renovations by the 2010s, a damning 2016 report by Arcadis surveyors, instructed by Hackney Council, identified a number of remaining issues.

It found the structure had “signficant damage”, including from leaks pervading all the way through the three-storey building.

Remedial works were proposed for the roof, facade and interior after inspectors found cracked walls, rotting windows, plant growth, blockages and missing bricks.

At the time, the late Nick Perry from campaign group the Hackney Society wondered why maintenance efforts were not part of the earlier restoration, “and what might have been left rotting in the interim”.

The surveyor stated the building’s age was partially responsible for the deterioration, but also blamed the decay on “a lack of regular maintenance”.

In 2016, the council proposed building housing on the “under-used” space behind the defunct Town Hall and its adjacent library, in order to fund the estimated £10 million needed to protect the historic building.

The following year, the local authority approved plans to intensify the use of the building’s assembly hall, gallery and old library spaces, and to restore the bunker into a “usable space”.

During the Covid pandemic, the site functioned as a rapid testing centre, but in 2021 the council carried out emergency works on one of the hall’s large function rooms after its ceiling plaster fell away, revealing asbestos.

In its announcement, Historic England stated that “comprehensive surveys have been undertaken to inform discussions regarding the future of the building”.

The decision counters the borough’s recent celebration that Abney Park cemetery and chapel are no longer ‘at risk’, following years of campaigning and restoration work.

When approached for comment, a Hackney Council press officer initially directed the Citizen to Historic England’s communications team.

But the Town Hall later asked that a statement from Mayor Caroline Woodley be included.

She said: “Stoke Newington Town Hall is a stunning art deco municipal building, complete with a sprung dance floor and what is reported to be the second largest disco ball in western Europe.

“We have a strong track record of protecting our heritage buildings. We’re currently renovating Stoke Newington Library, which adjoins the Town Hall, and our recent refurbishment of the grade II listed Abney Park Chapel, Clapton’s Portico and Hackney Town Hall has secured them for future generations.

“However, like many councils, we’re currently facing significant financial challenges. We hope this news will showcase the potential of the building as we continue to plan for its future use.”

Update: this article was amended at 6.12pm on 26 November 2024 to include a statement from Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley.