Inside the multi-million pound renovation of one of the oldest buildings in Oldham

The multi-million pound refurbishment of the library, which was built in 1883, is part of the council’s redevelopment ambitions for the town centre

Work to restore Oldham’s Old Library is nearing completion.

Members of the public entered the building for the first time since its closure in January 2022 last week – albeit in steel-capped boots, helmets and high-vis safety gear. 

On the first public tours of the Grade Two-listed building on Union Street, council arts and heritage boss Sean Baggaly and members of construction firm Tilbury Douglas gave an insight into the progress being made. 

The multi-million pound refurbishment of the library, which was built in 1883, is part of the council’s redevelopment ambitions for the town centre.

The project, first projected to cost around £16m in 2016, with costs likely to have risen significantly since then, will see the three-storey heritage building turned into a ‘mixed use’ cultural hub. 

The refreshed venue will become the home for the Oldham Theatre Workshop, a top-floor gallery, and a new council chamber and offices to replace those currently in the Civic Centre, which are due to be demolished under the council’s 2,000 home development plan. 

While it is clear from the stripped-back walls, scaffolding and unfinished plaster that there is still plenty of work to be done, many of the library’s traditional features, such as the central atrium and upstairs gallery are being ‘lovingly restored’. 

The indoor work has included replacing original green wall tiles – similar to those in Manchester’s iconic Victoria Baths – replacing and insulating windows and introducing steel beams instead of timber frames to secure the upstairs walkways.

Wherever possible, the original building work has been retained or mimicked, according to a spokesperson for Tilbury Douglas. 

Once completed, Oldham Council will take over the process of furnishing and renovating the interior of the library, with hopes that the facilities could be open to the public by Summer 2025.

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