It is a question that has been asked repeatedly across Penrith since the Town Hall closed its doors: what is happening to the building?
The historic building has now been completely empty and unused for more than two years, prompting concerns about its condition and what is being done to protect it while its future is decided.
With the Town Hall recently having its Asset of Community Value status renewed, Penrith.Town asked Westmorland and Furness Council to answer some of the questions and concerns being raised about the future of the building.
The council has now confirmed that plans are moving forward to bring the Town Hall back into use, although there is still a significant amount of work to be done before that can happen.
The building was vacated when council staff moved out and into Voreda House, ending its former day-to-day use as a civic building.
Since then, the Town Hall has remained completely unused while the council has considered what should happen to the Grade II listed building.
That uncertainty has now reduced following a decision by the council's Cabinet in July to progress plans to turn the building into a Creative and Community Hub.
The proposed scheme would see the Town Hall refurbished to provide a mixture of cultural, community and commercial uses, including a flexible 100 to 120-seat performance and events space, creative and community areas, rehearsal and education facilities, youth and digital spaces, a café/bar and community kitchen, digital skills and innovation space, and rentable office and meeting rooms.
The council is also considering the potential relocation of the Penrith and Eden Museum collections into the building, although that proposal remains subject to consultation.
The plans follow an extensive consultation exercise involving residents, community organisations and young people. More than 450 people responded to the public engagement, while 112 young people took part in workshops. The council said 96% of respondents supported a future role for the Town Hall focused on culture and heritage, arts and creativity, community and enterprise.
The council has now agreed to move on to the next stage and develop a full business case, with a design partner expected to be brought in to help develop the proposals.
That business case is expected to come back to Cabinet in December 2026.
The estimated cost of refurbishing the Town Hall is currently £5.739 million.
But with the building having stood empty and unused since its closure, one of the key questions being asked locally is whether its condition has deteriorated.
What condition is the Town Hall in?
Westmorland and Furness Council says there has been no deterioration reported in the condition of the building, with ongoing maintenance being carried out to preserve it in its current state.
The council told Penrith.Town: "Ongoing maintenance is preserving the building in its current state."
We also asked about the protective plastic sheeting which has recently been visible around part of the roof structure and whether this was connected to water getting into the building.
The council said sheeting was put in place as a precaution following a condition survey, to seal around a chimney coupler.
The council also confirmed that the only works currently being carried out are maintenance works required to preserve the building in its current condition.
The council says it has carried out a series of surveys to establish what will be required before the building can eventually be brought back into use.
During the past year, it has commissioned full mechanical and electrical surveys, a wood survey and a full condition survey.
The results will be used to inform the future design work.
There is already a substantial amount of repair work identified through the building's planning history.
Listed Building Consent approved in January 2025 covers work including repairs to a rotten and decaying floor, external walls, repointing, structural defects to a modern extension and chimney, windows and doors, a cracked ceiling, roof repairs and damaged paving.
The Town Hall is not an ordinary empty building. It is a Grade II listed property with significant historic features, and the council's own documentation highlights the importance of preserving the building while finding a viable future use for it.
While the building remains closed, it is still costing the council money. Maintaining the Town Hall in its current "mothballed" condition costs the council around £126,000 a year.
That makes finding a sustainable long-term use for the building important, particularly given the scale of investment now being proposed.
The council's preferred Creative and Community Hub model is intended to cover its ongoing running costs through a mixture of income streams, although the business case acknowledges that there are risks if income is lower than expected or costs increase.
For now, however, the Town Hall remains completely empty.
The next major milestone will be the development of the full business case, followed by further engagement before the proposals return to Cabinet in December.
So, after more than two years of uncertainty, the council now says it has a clear direction for the building.
Its intention is to retain Penrith Town Hall and bring it back into public use as a Creative and Community Hub.
But the final decision has not yet been made, and there is still a considerable amount of work to be done before the historic building could once again open its doors to the people of Penrith.
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