"His legacy will live on in Dean Clough" - Tributes paid to Sir Ernest Hall, the man behind Halifax mill's transformation

Sir Ernest was the businessman behind the regeneration of the formerly empty Dean Clough Mill in Halifax into a thriving cultural and business hub.

Nicholas Worsnop, chair of Business for Calderdale and a partner at Chadwick Lawrence solicitors based at Dean Clough, said: "It is with great sadness that we heard of the passing of Sir Ernest.

"He was a great man who probably, above all else, will be remembered locally and nationally for his contribution to the regeneration of Halifax in the early 1980s through his foresight and entrepreneurial approach alongside his son Jeremy in securing the future of Dean Clough.

"If it had not been for the family’s drive and foresight it is highly likely that its magnificent Victorian buildings would have been lost.

"The complex now houses many businesses and exhibitions and stands as a proud legacy not only to the Crossley family but to Sir Ernest and the Hall family."

Christine Harris DL, life vice president of the Community Foundation For Calderdale, said: "The Community Foundation are deeply saddened by the death of Sir Ernest, who was one of the first people to give support in 1991 by offering a small office at Dean Clough, free of charge, for which we will always be grateful.

"We started with nothing, a very small amount of money, but we had a home and we had an address.

"The CFFC began in 1991..which wasn’t very long after Sir Ernest, Jeremy Hall and Jonathon Silver bought the former Crossley Carpet mills, Dean Clough.

"The repurposing and restoration of the huge mill complex led the way for how other redundant mills could be saved.

"Sir Ernest’s vision of a practical eutopia at Dean Clough had started in the early 1980’s encompassing a myriad of different organisations from commerce to the arts, which included us - a new charity.

"His example of passion for the cause, his tenacity, his determination to make things work, even when the odds were so high, replicated the task that lay ahead of us at the Community Foundation.

"Helping us get started by believing we could be successful, by encouraging us ‘not to give up’ were some of the core ingredients which have led to the Foundation becoming one of the leaders in the field on a national scale, plus gaining recognition internationally.

"Sir Ernest Hall was a man with an infectious and dynamic style that made everyone around him believe that anything was possible no matter how humble the beginnings.

"He will be deeply missed by his wonderful family and his friends but his legacy will live on in Dean Clough and through all the organisations he gave his name to.

"We at the CFFC are proud that we were one of them."

Martin Hathaway, MD of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "At the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce we were saddened to hear the news of Sir Ernest Hall’s passing.

"His legacy, however, will live on through the incredible impact he had on Halifax’s community and economy.

“Sir Ernest pioneered the renovation of the town’s once derelict Dean Clough mills site as well as being instrumental in the creation of the Eureka! Museum.

“Both of these sites are landmarks for Halifax and to this day are thriving hubs within the local business community, creating opportunities for artists and providing a vibrant home for a range of businesses, from insurance and retail to karate and counselling.

“Sir Ernest’s vision for the former carpet mill continues to be realised with Dean Clough, which is now home to a multitude of cafes, restaurants, health and wellbeing businesses, retail spaces, beauty businesses, a hotel, a theatre and an art gallery as well as a range of office and event spaces.

"One of which, The Arches, is where we’ll be hosting our 2024 MYAwards presentation this September.

"We hope that in continuing to champion local businesses, we can continue Sir Ernest’s legacy of creating a vibrant, thriving Halifax.

“Without Sir Ernest’s contribution and dedication, we can’t imagine the state of disrepair that could have befallen the Dean Clough site. It is ambition, determination and innovation like Sir Ernest’s that create a lasting impact on the local economy, which Halifax will benefit from for years to come.”

Roger Harvey OBE, chairman of Harveys of Halifax, said: "I had the great pleasure of knowing Sir Ernest Hall over many years both in a business and personal capacity.

"He was, without doubt, the most inspirational person that I have ever met.

"I have often said that when he was in his pomp, speaking in public, I'm sure he could have persuaded us all to walk across burning coals.

"I well remember the headline in the Courier when Crossley's mill finally closed as a carpet factory.

"The doom and gloom was finally lifted when Sir Ernest ,and his son Jeremy redeveloped the mill as a thriving workplace and arts complex.

"His love of music, and the arts introduced many to see theatre and art from a different perspective through Dean Clough and the Viaduct Theatre

"He leaves us all with wonderful memories "

Sam Holmes, group manager at The Arches in Dean Clough, said: "There really is nowhere like Dean Clough - a once-derelict mill transformed into a diverse community of businesses and creative enterprises.

"The fact that such a wide array of businesses including ours proudly call Dean Clough their home is in no small part down to Sir Ernest’s vision; the on-site community at Dean Clough is a lasting legacy that continues to thrive."

And deputy leader of Calderdale Council, Coun Scott Patient, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Sir Ernest Hall OBE DL.

"Ernest was an incredible and inspirational man whose impact on Halifax and our surrounding towns cannot be overstated.

“His visionary work to transform Dean Clough Mills from a derelict carpet mill into a thriving destination and his subsequent work to develop the Eureka children’s museum, has shaped the Halifax we know and love today.

“He leaves behind an amazing legacy and I’d like to send our deepest condolences on to his family and many friends. He will be truly missed.”