Work continues on £50m Haigh Hall project amid reassurances over funding

The pair announced last month that Wigan Council had not renewed their contracts and they would no longer be working on the £50m masterplan to revamp the historic building.

But it is still full steam ahead for the project, which aims to create a nationally significant arts, culture and heritage destination.

There will be exhibition space, an area for education for children, event space for weddings and parties, a rooftop terrace, restaurant, bar and much more.

James Winterbottom, the council’s director for strategy and innovation, said the local authority was “restricted” in what it could say, but that Al and Al’s contract ended on September 30 and, like all contracts, a decision was made on “value for money and the performance and delivery”.

He said: “We make decisions all the time on contracts like that. We made a decision that it wasn’t in the best interests of the project to extend that any further and that contract then came to an end.”

He said Al and Al’s claim of “political pressure” influencing the decision was “one of the inaccuracies” in a lengthy statement they released.

Mr Winterbottom said another was that funding was at risk following the departure of Al and Al – real names Al Holmes and Al Taylor – and artist Theodore Major’s family deciding not to exhibit his work there.

He said: “There are no concerns whatsoever with how secure that funding is from any of the funding streams and partners who continue to be absolutely behind the aspirations of the project.

"People can expect to see all the things that we set out and that we have received the funding to deliver.”

One thing that will change is the permanent exhibition of work by Appley Bridge-based artist Major, but plans to display art remain.

Peter Hughes, director of operations at Haigh, said: “We always knew we would need far more than just the Theodore Major collection to ignite that interest and to keep visitors coming back. The Arts Council confirmed that when we spoke to them recently. Before we knew we weren’t securing the collection, they were saying we would need more than that collection to keep it sustainable going forward.”

Contractors HH Smith have recently finished external work at Haigh Hall, which includes repairing the stonework, windows, doors and roof and restoring the glass dome and chimneys.

Scaffolding is due to removed in the next few weeks, the hoarding line will be reduced and images will be put on the boards to inform people what is happening, along with interpretation boards in the park.

Project managers and consultants AtkinsRéalis have been appointed to lead the interior design phase, with Witherford, Watson and Mann selected as the internal designers.

There is a focus on community wealth-building and the benefits the project can bring to local people, with the number of women involved already a standout feature. It is hoped more local people will be employed at the hall in the next phase.

A six-month tender process to appoint a hospitality partner will start in January, with one business wanted to run the cafe, restaurant, rooftop terrace and bar.

Outside the hall in Haigh Woodland Park, work is nearing completion on a formal garden named Amphitheatre for a Tree, led by landscape architect and local resident Michael John McGarr.

The focal point will be a handkerchief tree, funded by Wigan Rotary Club as part of its centenary celebrations, and the design also features two crowns, made by Wigan-based Lost Art.

The garden will be officially opened in spring and can be used for weddings, performances or even to simply sit and relax.

One of the walled gardens at Haigh was recently closed for restoration work and planning permission has been granted for a Victorian-style glasshouse to be installed for events, workshops and somewhere for plants to grow.

It is hoped new gates at the Mowpin Lodge entrance will be installed by Christmas and there are plans for a visitor centre in the park so people can find out more about the development.

Part of the transformation of Haigh includes encouraging more visitors to the Plantation Gates end of the park.

Workshops have already been held with staff, patients and visitors at the nearby Wigan Infirmary to see what they would like there, such as an art installation and a sensory garden.

Mr Hughes said: “It could be a really nice place for patients and visitors to go and nurses at the end of a 12-hour shift to go and relax.”

There will be a woodland hub with a cafe halfway between the hall and the Plantations, while woodland adventures, mindfulness sessions and other activities will be held there.

Work has been done with pupils at three primary schools to design an interactive play trail featuring large comets, which will be safe for children to climb on.

The council is bringing back the land train, which will start and finish at the Plantation Gates, but it is also looking at public transport options to take people to the park.

Coun Chris Ready, the council’s cabinet member for communities, has spoken to Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Transport for Greater Manchester about introducing a bus service to Haigh.

He said: “People can come to Wigan bus station and get to Haigh Hall. That’s never been done before.”

It is hoped the transformation at Haigh will have a big impact on the whole of Wigan.

Mr Winterbottom said: "Haigh is already a destination for many local people, with over half a million visitors a year, but with the additional attractions of the site making it a regional destination of national significance, it’s set to bring £16m a year to the local economy.”