Talking Politics column with Coun Adam Wilkinson: The Piece Hall is a success story we should protect

Today, thousands of people visit every week. Families enjoy free days out, independent businesses thrive within its walls and audiences travel from across the country to experience its cultural programme. It has become the beating heart of Halifax.

But none of this happened by accident.

The Piece Hall we know today exists because people had the vision and courage to invest in its future. It was a Labour-run council that recognised the potential of this extraordinary heritage asset, secured the funding needed to transform it and backed the regeneration programme that brought it back to life.

As someone who grew up in Calderdale, the cultural landscape during my teens was very different. If we wanted to hear the music of our favourite bands in Halifax, our best bet was the Zoo Bar – a dingy and long-demolished rock club on Lord Street.

Fast forward to the 2020s and the transformation is remarkable. Bands we first discovered at the Zoo Bar are now performing live in Halifax itself. Pixies, Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins are just some of the incredible acts I’ve seen take the Piece Hall stage.

The Piece Hall is also part of a wider cultural success story. It complements brilliant venues including the Trades Club, the Golden Lion, the Puzzle Hall, the Blind Pig and the Grayston Unity. Together they make Calderdale one of the most exciting places for live music in the North.

If 90s rock is not your thing, the great thing about the Piece Hall is that there is something for everyone – music, heritage, art, food and drink, family events or simply enjoying one of the country’s most beautiful public spaces. It enriches life in our borough.

Its impact is not just cultural but economic too. The Piece Hall is estimated to contribute around £90 million a year to the local economy, supporting local jobs and businesses and bringing visitors into our town centres.

That is why Reform’s suggestion that there should be no public funding for the Piece Hall is so concerning. The council’s contribution amounts to around £1 per year for each Calderdale resident and was agreed in the budget in February, contrary to Reform claims. For that modest investment, we gain an asset that generates millions for our local economy, attracts visitors from far and wide and provides opportunities previous generations could only dream of. The Piece Hall truly puts Calderdale on the map.

Other councils would do anything to have an asset like this at the heart of their principal town.

The Piece Hall Trust has been clear that it wants to become more self-sustaining. But there is no comparable free-entry heritage attraction with no parking income that does not receive some form of public support. The Trust has also made clear that many external grants depend on demonstrating local authority backing.

We should treasure, celebrate and protect our Piece Hall, not put it at risk or talk it down.