Restoring a Landmark: Inside the Leeds Town Hall Refurbishment

The NFB was recently invited by NFB member and Heritage Approved Contractor, Ornate Interiors to visit Leeds Town Hall to get a closer look at the heritage work being conducted as part of one of the most significant heritage-led regeneration projects currently underway in Leeds city centre.

The refurbishment is being delivered by Kier in partnership with Leeds City Council and represents a major investment in the future of this landmark civic building.

A Grade I listed masterpiece; Leeds Town Hall was opened by Queen Victoria in 1858 and was designed by architect Cuthbert Brodrick. The building has been closed since 2021 while it undergoes a multi-million-pound restoration programme aimed at securing its long-term future.

Restoring historic interiors with care

As part of this programme, Ornate Interiors has been responsible for the conservation and restoration of all the historic plasterwork and decorative interiors within the building. They have been working on the project for the last 2 years and their aim is not to renew or replace the plasterwork, but to sympathetically restore the beautiful features without destroying the integrity of the original work wherever possible.

The company specialises in fibrous plaster, heritage lime work and reproduction mouldings, so they are exactly the sort of contractor you bring in on Grade I listed projects where original detailing must be preserved rather than stripped out.

At Leeds Town Hall, their work has focused on decorative restoration within public areas, new bar and hospitality spaces and essential repairs following decades of structural movement, cracking and water ingress.

Balancing tradition and modern techniques

During the visit, Ornate’s Managing Director Ronnie Clifford guided the NFB team through the work they have already undertaken and spoke passionately about his craft.

He explained the careful balance between materials used on site:

“Gypsum is faster and more hard setting,” he noted. “Lime plaster is breathable and cures rather than sets. It’s ideal for historic buildings like the Town Hall because it behaves like the original material and avoids trapping moisture in old walls.”

This combination of traditional and modern materials allows the team to respond appropriately to different conditions across the building, ensuring both durability and authenticity in the finished work. Ronnie also explained how the team has carefully incorporated modern acoustic boarding within the historic interiors, skilfully plastering ceilings and cornices to conceal the sound-reduction systems designed to improve acoustics and reduce noise transmission throughout the building. A clear mixing of the old and the new to show how traditional techniques and modern building technology can work together sympathetically within a historic setting.

Heritage expertise in action

Ornate Interiors is no stranger to complex civic restoration projects, having previously worked on buildings including Oldham Town Hall, the Assembly Rooms in York and Bath House. At Leeds Town Hall, the team has taken particular pride in reinstating skirting boards, cornices and ornamental plasterwork in their original style, as well as carefully restoring and replastering key architectural features such as the building’s grand archways.

All works are being delivered under the design direction of Page Park Architects, whose brief extends beyond simple restoration. Their task is to ensure that the building retains its historic significance but is a working space that can be used by the people of Leeds.

This includes the creation of new public-facing amenities such as bars and cafés, improved visitor facilities, upgraded toilets and a more welcoming reception and box office area. By transforming the Town Hall into a modern events venue, it not only brings a return on investment but also positions Leeds as a stronger arts and events destination.

A complex, collaborative effort

The scale of the project is considerable, involving a wide range of specialist expertise. Alongside Ornate Interiors, the programme brings together Kier as main contractor, NPS for technical expertise and a network of heritage subcontractors and consultants. This multi-disciplinary approach was illustrated whilst the NFB was on site, with lift engineers and organ restoration specialists also working within the building.

Together, these teams are working towards a shared goal: restoring Leeds Town Hall to its historic best while integrating modern systems and facilities that will ensure its long-term usability and relevance.

It is a complex and ambitious undertaking -one that brings together specialist conservation skills, engineering expertise and contemporary design to restore one of Leeds’ most iconic buildings for future generations.

For the NFB team, it was particularly rewarding to see one of our heritage approved contractors, Ornate Interiors, playing such an important role in a project of this scale and significance, demonstrating the craftsmanship and specialist knowledge required to deliver exceptional heritage restoration work within an iconic building.