Old Town Hall in Woolwich’s new occupants announced

The Old Town Hall in Woolwich is set to see art studios after a comprehensive refurbishment in recent years.

A notice appeared on Greenwich Council’s website last night announcing a lease for Second Floor Studios at the building on Calderwood Street.

With the loss of artist studios at Riverside House recently this restores some space in the town.

Greenwich Council sold Riverside House and whilst conversion plans were drawn up it was leased to SET. Plans to convert the former council block into hotel and student accommodation were recently approved. In Woolwich little stays the same for long.

Old Town Hall

For decades the Old Town Hall fell into disrepair and dilapidation until a recent improvement inside and out.

It restored the building’s fine exterior alongside renovating interior space.

Dating from 1842 it served as the town’s Town Hall until 1906 when its replacement was built a short distance away.

That resulted from the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich formed from the mergers of Woolwich, Plumstead and Eltham.

In 1965 following the subsequent merging of Woolwich and Greenwich boroughs the 1906 Woolwich Town Hall was chosen as the main seat for the borough with Greenwich Town Hall sold off.

After a long and varied life Greenwich Town Hall is to now be converted to residential usage, with plans set to start imminently.

One of the more exciting bits of news in relation to that is making to tower top viewing gallery accessible once again.

Conversion

In Woolwich the Grade II Old Town Hall conversion has been worked on by Gort Scott. A new entrance is proposed alongside alterations to the rear.

So then a good news story as a fine old civic building is restored and an occupier announced bringing creativity and footfall to this part of Woolwich arrives. The town already has a fine link with artists owing to the Thames-side studios near the Thames Barrier and SET, with new spaces now created.