Wythenshawe Hall: historic Manchester building is reopening after £6.7m refurbishment - when the opening is

An historic Manchester building will reopen to the public for the first time in several years this weekend following a multi-million-pound refurbishment programme.

Manchester City Council has announced that Wythenshawe Hall will throw its doors open for its long-anticipated reopening on Saturday (15 October).

The hall was closed following an arson incident in 2016, and the local authority has spent £6.7m to restore the 16th century house which has been the home of the Tatton family for more than 600 years.

The long-awaited reopening takes place this weekend after being pushed back slightly due to the death of the Queen.

When is Wythenshawe Hall re-opening and how can I go?

Wythenshawe Hall, which is renowned for its timber frame and sits in more than 250 acres of land, will be reopened for the public on Saturday 15 October.

The occasion will be marked with a ceremony between 11am and 12pm at which the Deputy Lord Mayor of Manchester Yasmine Dar will cut the ribbon. and visitors will then be allowed inside. The hall will be open to the public from noon until 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday (16 October).

The occasion also marks the 10th anniversary of the Friends of Wythenshawe Hall, which says it plans to once again open the building on a monthly basis.

For the opening weekend entry is free but anyone wanting to look round the building and see the restoration work is asked to book a timeslot on Eventbrite here. The Friends of Wythenshawe Hall say it will take around an hour to visit. There will also be entertainment in the Tenants Hall on both afternoons this weekend.

Manchester City Council has invested more than £6.7m in the refurbishment work to prevent the hall from sustaining further damage since the arson attack in 2016. Extensive security upgrades have also been made to the property.

The hall was given to the city by Lord and Lady Simon in 1926 for the people of Manchester to enjoy and served as an art gallery and museum until it was temporarily closed in 2010.

What has been said about the re-opening?

Coun Lee-Ann Igbon, executive member for vibrant neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council, said: “Wythenshawe Hall is a magnificent building which is not only to close the hearts of many people in Wythenshawe, but sheds light on the fascinating history of our city.

“After the hall was forced to close due to an arson attack in 2016, Manchester City Council has carried out over £6.7 m of extensive refurbishment works to repair the damage and have enhanced security upgrades to the Hall, to protect it from further damage and to allow the public to enjoy the building once again.

“I know a lot of people will be happy to see the hall‘s doors open once again. It is a great honour to be attending the event and to be a part of such an important part of history.”