East Staffordshire Borough Council has announced that Burton Market Hall will reopen to the public on an interim basis from Thursday 28 May, following the completion of an extensive programme to replace and upgrade the building’s Victorian roof.

The works, delivered by local roofing specialists JAL Roofing, include a full replacement of the slate roof alongside new glazing, replacing the existing polycarbonate structure. The £1.49m investment forms part of the Council’s capital funding programme and marks a key milestone in securing the long-term future of the historic Market Hall.

The interim reopening sits within a wider, town-wide regeneration programme currently reshaping Burton upon Trent’s town centre and riverside. Alongside major investment into heritage assets, public spaces and new cultural destinations, the Market Hall is being repositioned as a central anchor within a growing network of leisure, retail and visitor-led development across the town.

Building on this investment, the Council has also set out an ambitious long-term vision for the Market Hall, following public consultation, soft market testing and detailed appraisal work. The plans outline a phased transformation of the building into a dynamic, mixed-use destination combining retail, food and drink, flexible workspace and a programme of events and activity.

The first phase will focus on activating the building through essential infrastructure and commercial improvements. This includes the introduction of six street food units, flexible seating areas, a main bar, public realm enhancements to the Market Hall frontage and a programme of events and activity designed to increase footfall within the town centre. The building will also undergo wider fabric improvements as part of these works.

This phase represents an investment of £2.689m, subject to the final approval of a funding application of £2.425m to the Enterprise Zone Regional Investment Fund, which has now been submitted, following approval of an initial business case in Autumn 2025.

The reopening of the Market Hall will be for an interim period, operating from Thursday to Saturday, ahead of the planned regeneration works which will commence in 2027.

In parallel, the Council is also developing a separate business case for the redevelopment of the former Customer Service Centre adjoining the Market Hall. The proposal sets out plans for a 150-capacity live music venue, hosting around 180 events per year, including headline touring acts, emerging artists and local performances. The proposal builds on the success of Sonic Boom Festival in 2024 and 2025 and forms part of the Council’s wider placemaking and cultural regeneration strategy. This project will be funded separately to the Market Hall redevelopment.

For more information, please visit East Staffordshire Borough Council’s YouTube channel -youtube.com/watch?v=l8YGLZR0xvg