'I feel The Halls the best venue and that comes from the atmosphere it creates and the people'

Crissie Rushton has been a feature of the Civic Hall and Wulfrun Hall for a quarter of a century and has been the driving force behind the Halls Wolverhampton as general manager since the venue reopened last May.

Having been delayed for years due to building issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, the venue enjoyed a triumphant reopening with a gig by Britpop legends Blur and, since that evening in May 2023, has gone from strength to strength, re-establishing itself as a prominent and popular gig venue in the region, with more than 200,000 people going through the doors.

It has already seen shows by high profile stars such as Robert Plant, Dexys Midnight Runners and magicians Penn and Teller, as well as welcoming students from Wolverhampton University for graduation and leading businesses for the Express & Star Business awards and is set to welcome Bob Dylan, Beverley Knight, Paul Weller and Frank Skinner, to name but a few.

With the event still shining in its new look after nearly 18 months of regular use, Crissie Rushton said it had all gone very well.

She said: "Things have gone exceptionally well, to be honest, and has been far more successful that I'd hoped, particularly in terms of how quickly really high profile artists have come back.

"Having had such an extensive period of restoration of the venue, it's been so good to see the caliber of artists come back, as well as all the key clients who came back to use the venue and the impact it's had on the city has been fantastic.

"The building in its previous form wouldn't have lasted forever and I think the work has all been worth it because of the artists we've had here and the footfall we've been getting."

Since reopening following the £48 million revamp, the venue has been highly commended in an awards programme, having been a finalist in the Constructing Excellence West Midlands Awards 2024.