“The restoration of this beautiful building, due to be completed in….”

Another example of the kind of openness, transparency, and forward-planning that makes Derry City Council the local government it is…  They’re moving to facilitate restoration work.   And the BBC reports that the £3million Guildhall Restoration Project, on which work began in August 2010, is not expected to allow the 19th Century Guildhall to re-open until Spring 2013 – well into Londonderry’s year-long reign as the first UK City of Culture.

From the BBC report

The Mayor of Derry, Alderman Maurice Devenney, said that the public were aware of the closure and understood it had to be done.

“I think nearly everyone knows now that the Guildhall will be early spring before it’s open,” he said.

“We have made people aware of that this last year or so. There is no negativity coming back about that at all.”

Odd then that they’ve yet to include that detail in the information on the Guildhall Restoration Project…

As part of our City of Culture bid we were asked to examine and value our past. The restoration of this beautiful building, due to be completed in…., connects us to a century ago, when the city was also buzzing with optimism for the future, and safeguards the Guildhall’s future for generations to come. [added emphasis]

[Have they told the organisers? – Ed]  According to the BBC report

The City of Culture promoters declined to comment on the closure of the Guildhall but did say they were “delighted” the building was getting a facelift.

[2013 is guaranteed to be a great success… – Ed]  Just one other point to note…

PLEASE NOTE: The Harbour Museum will close to the public on 16th December, 2011.

[Any indication of when it will re-open? – Ed]  No.


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