Peterborough Town Hall
{{for|the town hall in Peterborough, South Australia|Peterborough Town Hall, South Australia}}
{{Short description|Municipal building in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name =Peterborough Town Hall
| native_name =
| image =Peterborough Town Hall.jpg
| caption =Peterborough Town Hall
| locmapin =Cambridgeshire
| map_caption =Shown in Cambridgeshire
| coordinates = {{coord |52.5714|N|0.2420|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location =Bridge Street, Peterborough
| area =
| built =1933
| architect =Ernest Berry Webber
| architecture = Neo-Georgian style
| governing_body =
| website=
}}
Peterborough Town Hall is a municipal building in Bridge Street, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. It is a locally listed building.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/asset-library/imported-assets/ListOfHeritageAssetsInPeterborough2019.pdf|pages=60–61|title= Local List of Heritage Assets in Peterborough|date=1 December 2016|publisher=Peterborough Council|accessdate=17 July 2020}}
History
The current structure was commissioned to replace the 17th-century guildhall in Cathedral Square.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/find-out-why-peterboroughs-guildhall-has-got-blue-plaque-2910385|title=Find out why Peterborough’s Guildhall has got a blue plaque|date= 11 July 2020| publisher=Peterborough Today|accessdate=17 July 2020}} The whole of the eastern side of Narrow Bridge Street had to be demolished, doubling the width of the street, before the foundation stone for the new building could be laid by Prince George in June 1929.{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-peterborough-evening-telegraph/20170706/282888025716379|title=Blue plaque stories: Peterborough Town Hall|publisher=Peterborough Evening Telegraph|date=6 July 2017|accessdate=17 July 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/historic-footage-shows-royal-visit-to-lay-foundation-stone-of-peterborough-town-hall-3330086 |title=Historic footage shows Royal visit to lay foundation stone of Peterborough Town Hall|date=1 August 2021|newspaper= Peterborough Telegraph|access-date=26 September 2021}} The new building was designed by Ernest Berry Webber in the Neo-Georgian style and built by John Thompson and Sons.{{cite web|url=https://www.architecture.com/image-library/RIBApix/image-information/poster/peterborough-town-hall-the-rear-elevation/posterid/RIBA73750.html|title=Peterborough Town Hall: the rear elevation|publisher=Royal Institute of British Architects|accessdate=17 July 2020}} The design included colonnades built out over the pavement in order to reduce the visual impact of a very long west facade.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughcivicsociety.org.uk/plaques_blue3.php#TownHall|title=Town Hall|publisher=Blue Plaques|accessdate=17 July 2020}} Four plaques were erected on the west side of the building representing jurisprudence, education, biology and industry & reward. The builder got into financial difficulties during the construction and the official opening was delayed until October 1933.
The Princess Royal met American servicewomen during a function held in the reception room of the town hall in 1944 during the Second World War.{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205200986|title=American servicewomen meet Princess Royal: luncheon at Peterborough Town Hall|publisher=Imperial War Museum|accessdate=17 July 2020}}
The building, which had served as the meeting place of both the Peterborough Municipal Borough Council and of the Soke of Peterborough County Council, became the headquarters of the non-metropolitan district of Peterborough on the re-organisation of local government in 1974.The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972 (SI 1972/2039) Part 5: County of Cambridgeshire In 2005, a 19th-century turret clock, which had originally been installed on the face of a jewellers' shop at No. 8 Narrow Bridge Street, was mounted on the west side of the town hall, very close to its original position.{{efn|Since the demolition of the jewellers shop in 1930, the clock had been located in the Carnegie Library in Broadway.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughcivicsociety.org.uk/neneliving3.php|title=Clocks in Peterborough City Centre|publisher=Peterborough Civic Society|accessdate=17 July 2020}}}}
In September 2018 the council moved most of its officials to modern facilities at Sand Martin House, a refurbished Victorian railway building at Fletton Quays on the south side of the River Nene.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/new-era-peterborough-city-council-move-fletton-quays-579322|title=New era for Peterborough City Council with move to Fletton Quays|date=18 September 2018|publisher=Peterborough Today|accessdate=17 July 2020}} The council chamber in the town hall continues to be used as the main venue for meetings of the council.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughmatters.co.uk/local-news/chaos-at-the-council-over-budget-vote-1752|title='Chaos at the council' over budget vote|date=5 March 2020|publisher=Peterborough Matters|accessdate=17 July 2020}} In March 2020 work began on refurbishment works at the town hall, expected to cost £5.1 million, so that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust could move into the vacant areas of the building in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/peterborough-city-council-set-agree-ps4m-spend-refurbish-town-hall-ahead-health-trust-move-2524181|title=Peterborough City Council set to agree £4m spend to refurbish Town Hall ahead of health trust move|publisher=Peterborough Today|date=31 March 2020|accessdate=17 July 2020}}
Notes
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