Guildhall revamp to go on until 2012

Derry City Council appointed Contractors, H&J Martin, who began work on the project on August 9 of this year.

The first phase of the restoration project is seeing extensive external restoration work carried out on the Grade A Listed building, including the stonework, roof, windows and stained glass, and clock restoration.

The work will also see the addition of new steps and a ramp to the entrance off Guildhall Square.

John Kelpie, the City Engineer with Derry City Council, who is overseeing the project commented that the finding of the time capsule on site served to highlight the importance of restoring this historic building.

"The Council has worked closely with a specialist conservation design team, led by Consarc Design Group on the Guildhall restoration proposals for a number of years.

"We are now in the early stages of this major restoration project which will have a significant impact on the city as it moves forward as the City of Culture in 2013 by enhancing the tourism and cultural potential of both city and region."

Future proposals for the Guildhall are being developed to include the internal repair, refurbishment and reorganisation of the building, subject to the availability of funding.