Westminster seeks occupier for Marylebone Town Hall
Westminster City Council wants to let most of its 100,000 sq ft Old Marylebone Town Hall for commercial use.
The 1920s building on Marylebone Road has witnessed the weddings of Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Liam Gallagher, and could now be put to hotel, educational, residential or healthcare use.
The council would lease a small part of the property for 25 or 75 years, retaining its registry office, the council chamber and possibly some library space.
Most of the listed building, which costs more than £1m a year to run, would be renovated by the new occupier as part of the lease agreement. Restoration would cost £20m or more and any occupier would need to show it could cover the cost of the lease and the refurbishment.
Melvyn Caplan, cabinet member for finance at Westminster City Council, said: “We are consulting with a number of different organisations on how to restore the former Marylebone town hall and to help determine how we can put it to better use.”
The building has a Portland stone facade and is split into two sections. Around 60,000 sq ft is the original council house, designed by Sir Edwin Cooper and built between 1914 and 1920. The rest is a 40,000 sq ft extension, built in 1939 to house a public library.
The council can no longer afford to maintain the property itself because it expects its budget to be slashed by up to 30% over the next three years.
The October spending review is looming so local authorities have to explore ways to make better use of their assets. Westminster has already let three floors of its City Hall headquarters, and plans to let a further 40,000 sq ft within two years.
Alastair Gilchrist, strategic director for resources, said: “The council needs to seriously and urgently address its cash spend on things like property. We’re going to the market to explore options for the site, but our aim is to keep the fabric of the building maintained as it should be and restore it to its former glory.”
King Sturge is advising Westminster council.
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