Tilbury Douglas begins phase two of Oldham Old Library restoration
The restoration of Oldham’s Old Library, led by Tilbury Douglas, a leading UK building, infrastructure, engineering and fit-out business, continues to take shape with the phase two fit-out of the beautifully restored building.
To mark the significant milestone, Tilbury Douglas and Oldham Council came together on 14 February 2024 – just over a year since the 140th anniversary of when the building was officially opened to the public in August 1883, and also close to the 140th anniversary of the Tilbury Douglas business.
As part of the event, attendees explored the inside to see the phase one restoration progress made that has transformed this important historic building. They also heard more details of the phase two fit-out to really bring the building to life.
Preserving key historical features has been at the centre of the restoration, including relief sculptures – which are features in the stonework. These add meaning to the building and were meant to add context to the building as a library and art gallery.
Located on the east and west walls are a collection of carved stone heads – figures from literature, art, music, science, and engineering. The Lady Wrigley statue also sits atop of the historic building, proudly holding a wreath in one hand and a book in the other.
Once complete, the library will have space for vital council services, an extended community gallery, Oldham Theatre Workshop, a contemporary venue for public meetings, a fully equipped council chamber, and dedicated support staff facilities.
The social value that the project has already achieved for Oldham is estimated to be more than £4m, whilst phase two promises to deliver over £7m.
Speaking on the progress of the historic building, Cllr Arooj Shah, said: “The Old Library is really close to my heart and this building means so much to Oldham and our residents.
“We’re passionate about our heritage buildings in Oldham, and I hope this project gives people hope that we will work hard to care for them and make sure these historic places play a part in our future.
“We’ve got so much happening to regenerate Oldham town centre. It’s a hugely exciting time for our borough and I can’t wait for the Old Library project to complete and to reopen this beautiful building to Oldhamers once again.”
“Being able to transform such an historic site into a cultural hub, which will add so much to the community, has been a real honour for the Tilbury Douglas team. Everyone, including our supply chain partners, has gone above and beyond to give back to the local community. We will continue to embrace this collaborative ethos on phase two to maximise every opportunity to deliver better together.”
Martin Horne, Regional Director for the North West at Tilbury Douglas