Work continues on Wolverhampton's Civic Hall but when will it reopen?

The roof of the landmark building remains covered in scaffolding, although the main building is starting to emerge.

While progress is being made, Wolverhampton City Council is still to give a date for when the Civic can come alive to the sound of music once again.

The much-delayed project is scheduled to end this year, but the council has declined to be more specific. Its spokesman Oliver Bhurrut said: "We’re still working towards reopening later this year."

It is hoped events could continue in the autumn, concluding a project that has increased in cost to around £40 million.

The collapse of Aldridge-based Shaylor Group in 2019 brought about a delay for the popular development, which was later impacted by the pandemic.

But now work on the venue, on North Street, is said to be progressing after construction firm Willmott Dixon was appointed to get the project over the line.

Wolverhampton Council and entertainment firm AEG Presents have agreed a 25-year deal to run the  Civic Hall. The handover date had been scheduled for April or early May. There will then be a 12-week fit out before events can start again.

Steve Homer, chief executive of AEG Presents which runs more than 40 venues, had spoken of events starting from September.

The much-loved venue has seen the cost of its revamp quadruple to around £40m with chiefs saying the rebuild has been held up by a string of unforeseen issues. Asbestos was found and archaeologists were brought in after a 14th century cobbled road was unearthed beneath the main building.

Willmott Dixon Interiors took over the revamp of the 83-year-old halls on North Street in September 2019 after previous contractor Shaylor collapsed. It was initially closed in December 2015 for what was then expected to be a £10 million overhaul.

The reopened halls will consist of the Wulfrun Hall and the main Civic Hall after the council did not renew its lease on The Slade Rooms, which was used for more intimate gigs.

The completed building will also feature a number of items from the venue's history – including murals and architectural features – that have been given listed status by English Heritage. They are currently being stored in an aircraft hangar near Shrewsbury.

Council bosses said the deal with AEG Presents was a "huge coup" for the city which will see new jobs created and raise Wolverhampton's international profile. And they said the completed Civic will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city and boost the local economy by millions of pounds as it bids to recover from the pandemic.

AEG Presents own and operate more than 40 sites and recently landed the contract to run a music venue at Olympia London. It also puts on the annual All Points East Festival and has promoted tours for Justin Bieber, Bon Jovi, Shawn Mendes, Rod Stewart and The Who.