Background

Cheltenham Town Hall was built in 1902-03 to provide a venue for the balls and concerts which made up the towns social calendar at the turn of the twentieth century. The centrepiece of the Town Hall is its main hall, distinguished by its Corinthian style columns and coved ceiling and is 53 foot high. In all, including balcony seating, it holds up to 1000 people. 30 years after its last redecoration, Seddon was tasked with full internal redecoration of the main hall, balcony areas, main stage and first floor lobby.


Project

As the room had never been closed for any length of time before, and due to its popularity, there was a tight nine week timescale imposed upon the project. This proved difficult due to the intricate and detailed nature of the work but through a demanding schedule, the Seddon team managed to successfully achieve this. Due to the height of the building, substantial birdcage scaffolding was required, which presented a number of problems. The existing floor area was suspended above a cellar so the team had to bring in a structural engineer to ensure it could withstand the weight of the scaffolding. The volume of the scaffolding was very labour intensive on the Seddon teams time, again impacting upon the short time frame in which to complete the project. The birdcage scaffolding removed all natural light from the building, and the team therefore had to work under artificial light only. The intricate detail of the building meant the work was very exhaustive and demanding on the eye, and required immense patience and skill from the operative in order to get the detail correct. In order to be as sympathetic to the heritage of the building as possible, Seddon invited Dulux to the site to create a number of colour samples and schemes for the Council to select from. The chosen paints Dulux Flat Matt Emulsion and Dulux Acrylic Eggshell created the perfect backdrop for the busy and versatile room. To ensure the strict timescale was met, Seddon chose to use Ardenbrite, a liquid alternative to Gold Leaf, for all the gold interiors. During the project, the Seddon team came across a number of unforeseen problems. Remedial repairs had to be conducted to certain areas and required a Seddon plasterer. Several decorative cornices were significantly worn; Seddon remade the profiles to bring them back to their former glory. There were a number of unique and priceless glass light shades that the team had to carefully remove from the vicinity of the work area in order to ensure their safekeeping for the duration of the project. They then had to ensure they were returned in perfect condition once complete.


Endorsement

As a popular venue for concerts, weddings and music festivals, it was vital that Seddon completed the project within a very strict timescale. Without compromise, the team successfully achieved this, whilst overcoming a number of unforeseen problems with ease and professionalism. We have always felt in safe hands and it has been a pleasure working with the Seddon team. Our new look hall has never looked better and is thoroughly appreciated by all who enter, both visitors and staff.