Hoxton Hall is delighted to announce its success in achieving a grant of just under £1.8 million, which will enable the charitable organisation to save, preserve and restore this unique 149 year old Grade II* listed music hall theatre.

After a nail-biting wait this summer, Hoxton Hall has finally received the funding it requires to continue into phase two of the three stage capital works. The plan will preserve and restore this Grade II* listed Music Hall Theatre, built in 1863, and one of only four remaining in the UK, to its former glory, unveiling hidden original features including roof lay light. Funding will also enable digitally preserving an archive of 6,000 pieces, while informing a heritage exhibition and providing three years of heritage project funding.

On completion Hoxton Hall will be fulfilling a wide remit in the community and pan London as a Young Hackney Centre, Theatre and Heritage tourist destination, attracting over 40,000 visitors per year for another 149 years.

Hoxton Hall Group Director, Hayley White, said: “This is a landmark day for Hoxton Hall. Now, in partnership with Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) we can really raise the curtain for this beautiful old music hall. With our immediate challenge to fundraise for a further £425,000, we will commence restoring and modernising to ensure the building is fit for purpose for the future and curate a permanent exhibition from our archive unveiling the Culture of the East End, ensuring we can welcome over 40,000 visitors per year. Exciting times!”

As Hoxton Hall celebrates its 150th Anniversary in 2013, amidst the recession and the impact of government cuts being realised, Hoxton Hall has robust sustainable charity models of working recognised by HLF as a safe pair of hands to manage this level of grant. Hoxton Hall continues to fundraise, currently encouraging support from trust and foundations for phase two and is in discussions with the Arts Council England with the aim to secure artistic programme funding.

Hoxton Hall with its Young Hackney status and youth and community participation programme is at the core of activities. Improvements will not only provide the capacity for more to enjoy the theatre and heritage activity, but also for our young people to be have even more ownership of this history, in what is undoubtedly an important surviving Victorian performance space.

Sue Bowers, Head of HLF London, said: “Hoxton Hall is a much-loved historic building which has stood the test of time and remained at the heart of its ever-evolving local community. We thought this was a wonderful project because it not only restores one of the last surviving saloon-style music halls, creating an expanded and vibrant space for people of all ages to use, but also encourages valuable volunteering and training opportunities.”

Notes to editors

Hoxton Hall is a beautiful and atmospheric Grade II* listed early music hall situated in Shoreditch, East London with adjoining spaces including music rooms with recording space, rehearsal rooms, dance studio, art studio, design suite, meeting rooms and café. For 149 years Hoxton Hall has been the creative hub of its community providing education and culture, all of which are embodied in the physical space, as pioneering arts, theatre and performance hub.

Hoxton Hall is an arts organisation which runs participatory youth arts projects in partnership with Hackney and Islington Youth Services, the Grade II* listed building and our heritage is at the heart of our delivery. Hoxton Hall is currently unfunded for artistic programming.

Heritage Lottery Funding of £1,798,770 will go towards a total project budget of £2,456,000, which will modernise, conserve and where possible re-instate heritage features and will furthermore provide revenue project costs for three years after opening for a high profile heritage education, learning activity supported by exhibition and period performance programme.

Hoxton Hall is fundraising for a further £425,000 to deliver this project and is open to support from businesses, trust and foundations and individuals.

In June 2012, Hoxton Hall reopened its youth arts spaces and was named one of the London Borough of Hackney’s new Young Hackney Centres for young people aged 7-19. The Young Hackney Centres form part of the previous governments’ Myplace scheme developed to give more ownership for young people in their local communities.

Further information

Katie Owen, HLF press office on 020 7591 6036 / 07973 613820.

Francesca Neumann, Hoxton Hall on 020 7684 0060 or Francesca@hoxtonhall.co.uk