Bromley Old Town Hall has been taken off Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register following the transformative renovation by Castleforge, led by Cartwright Pickard Architects.
The Grade II-listed Bromley Old Town Hall was built in two phases in 1907 and 1939. The landmark building served as a hub for the local community, until falling vacant and into disrepair in 2007. In 2009, it was added to Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register, highlighting the immediate need for investment.
The sensitive restorations saw the building repaired and refurbished to its former glory. The building reopened earlier this year as a Clockwise co-working office space and 23-bedroom boutique hotel.
The transformation included expanding the building to 62,000 sq ft, incorporating an accessible courtyard and opening a public restaurant.
Heritage features have been retained and restored throughout the refurbishment, including art deco fluted marble columns, stained-glass windows, and stairways from the 1930s.
Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Projects Officer, Verena McCaig, said in a letter to Castleforge:
“It is wonderful that the historic fabric of the former Town Hall has been conserved. We are pleased that the building has been crafted into spaces that reflect the character of the building and that customers can appreciate using. We would like to congratulate all involved.”
Michael Kovacs, Founding Partner of Castleforge, said:
“Bromley Old Town Hall has been a landmark for the local community for over 100 years and it was an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to preserve its history. The repairs and refurbishments have breathed new life into the disused space.
“We look forward to welcoming Clockwise members, hotel guests and the local community for years to come.”
Alexandra Livesey, Clockwise Chief Operating Officer and Brama Managing Director commented:
“Embarking on this transformative journey with Bromley Old Town Hall, we are thrilled to witness its removal from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register. As stewards of history, we see this not just as a restoration but as a revival, an earnest commitment to breathe new life into the heart of Bromley. With meticulous dedication, Brama and Clockwise are ushering the Town Hall back to its former glory, not merely as a structure, but as a vibrant hub for the community.
We are immensely proud to have resurrected this iconic space, creating not just a physical restoration but a living, breathing amenity that will contribute to the richness and vitality of the local tapestry. In our hands, the Old Town Hall is not just a relic of the past; it’s guiding us into a promising future for Bromley.”
Bromley Old Town Hall has recently been recognized as a regional finalist by the Civic Trust Awards, established in 1959 to recognize excellence in the built environment, taking into account factors such as sustainability credentials. Winners will be announced in January 2024.
Castleforge is a London-based property investor that has invested more than £1 billion since it was founded in 2010. It also owns a flexible workspace brand, ‘Clockwise’, which operates in several of its offices.
Clockwise provides contemporary private offices, shared workspace, and meeting rooms with flexible membership plans in key business locations across the UK and Europe.
The Old Town Hall was one of 41 sites historic sites in London saved and removed from the Heritage at Risk Register in 2023. In total there are now 599 entries for London on the Heritage at Risk Register in 2023 – 32 fewer than in 2022, which is an outstanding result for the capital.
