VIDEO: Walsall Town Hall set for £1m revamp

Bosses want to overhaul facilities at the site to attract big-name acts, while also using it to host family events.

The Leicester Street building opened in 1902 but has been left behind in recent years by venues like the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton.

Walsall Council leader Mike Bird said any revamp could be worth up to £1m.

He said: "We are certainly looking to invest in the toilets and the bar which doesn't give you a welcoming experience.

"There are a lot of weddings which would use the town hall, and we can put on concerts there too."

Bands that performed at the Walsall Town Hall in the 1960s and 70s include Slade, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

It then went three decades before its next major gig when indie rockers Reverend and the Makers performed in 2012 drawing in around 700 people. It is the last major concert featuring current acts to have been held.

The venue does host the likes of the Walsall Beer Festival which attracts thousands of people over its annual three-day stretch, live boxing and organ recitals. The organ itself was built in 1908 by Walsall company Nicholson and Lord and has more than 3,300 pipes.

The building has been highlighted as a key location in the town along with Walsall New Art Gallery, Gala Baths, Walsall Leather Museum, and main Library.

An action plan into the future of the town hall says it needs to be promoted as a venue for events and concerts.

It adds: "The town centre offers an accessible location to provide a wide variety of facilities for the community and to draw visitors from a wider area.

"It is important that these facilities are, where possible, enhanced and protected."

Darlaston Town Hall received a £420,000 makeover a number of years ago to bring it back into use.

The building in Victoria Road, which dates back to 1888, was closed in 2006 amid health and safety concerns.

After several years in the pipeline it re-opened again in 2008 after being given a total overhaul.

The money was also used to refurbish the town hall's organ, which was given to the people of Darlaston as a gift by the Slater family in 1903.