New images show how Rochdale’s Touchstones is being transformed

The re-development of Touchstones Rochdale, the borough’s major arts and heritage venue is moving forward, as councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council, visited to see the work’s progress.

Work on site commenced last year to transform the much-loved grade II listed building (the original Rochdale Library, more recently the town’s museum and art gallery) into a creative and cultural hub with new flexible performance and studio spaces, meeting rooms, education facilities and improved galleries.

Councillor Smith, and Estelle Rowe, chief executive of Your Trust, the organisation that will be responsible for running the building when it re-opens and their chairman David Gelsthorpe were taken on a guided tour by contractors H.H.Smith and Sons to see how the renovations are taking shape.

The impressive walk through began with a look around what will be two new classrooms, quiet space and kitchen which will provide a welcoming environment for children and adult learning on the ground floor. The building’s ornate features are being preserved, with high ceilings and large windows giving the light and bright areas more of a sense of space.  The guests were shown what will be a digital recording studio for podcast and music recordings, alongside digital co-working space.  The ‘messy studio’ was another highlight – complete with a pottery room including a kiln, which will be used for education classes.  Another studio space on the ground floor has been designed with flexibility in mind, enabling it to be used for meetings, conferences and workshops, in a wide range of formats.
 

A re-modelling of the reception area will create a much more welcoming environment, alongside the building’s original tiled floor undergoing restoration, and grand staircase. 

One of the most exciting aspects is the transformation of the former Women’s Library, (used as a museum until the building closed for renovation). This is set to become an innovative new dining and collections space, with a sleek terrazzo tiled floor alongside beautifully stained oak in the servery and on walls. Focusing on the theme of food within the borough’s collections, co-created alongside Rochdale’s diverse communities, the hall will feature artwork designed by residents, reflecting the borough’s heritage and culture with the community even developing menus.   Outside there will be a terrace with seating, alongside a community co-designed garden where herbs, plants and crops will be grown, linking back to the food offer and creative workshops programme.

The tour included a preview of the 130-seat studio performance space. Initial wiring for lighting and sound has been installed, and the base has been prepared ahead of oak flooring due to be installed soon. With retractable seating, the versatile space will be the home of Touchstones Live – a programme of drama, dance, theatre, comedy, contemporary performance and family shows, as well as being available for private hire, touring productions and schools.

On the lower floor there is upgraded office space which will be used for hot desking, together with meeting rooms and improved spaces for the museum collections to be safely stored, alongside a large artwork storage area. 

Upstairs there will be improved gallery spaces, providing better conditions for artwork and a much lighter, brighter experience for visitors. 

A first phase of additional repairs to the roof is well underway, including re-slating, together with upgrading of the insulation, renewal of flashings and soakers, improvements to the guttering, new lightning protection and replacement of dormer windows.  Improvements to the building’s accessibility and sustainability are also taking place. A small multi-faith quiet room and new lift have already been installed, alongside new toilets.

Councillor Smith said: “It’s great to see so many people hard at work on the site and there has been much progress made already on this important building which is steeped in the rich history of our town.  We’ve seen how all the rooms on the ground floor are taking shape, alongside the dining, collections and performance spaces. This building is going to be a real game changer for Rochdale when it is finished, you can already get a sense of how vibrant and purposeful it is going to be and what a lasting impact it will have.  We have to be patient now as there is still a good deal of work to do but it will be so worth it.”

Estelle Rowe, chief executive of Your Trust added: “Touchstones is a well-loved building over many decades but is being restored and re-purposed for the future. We have a duty to look after buildings like this as well as make them useful and accessible to all for future generations, and I think something special is going on here.”