The £1.49 million re-roofing project at the Victorian Market Hall in Burton upon Trent has now completed.
Appointed by East Staffordshire Borough Council, Derbyshire-based contractor JAL Roofing delivered the works, with multi-disciplinary consultancy Pick Everard acting as lead design consultant.
Built in 1883, the Grade II-listed building required essential repairs to the roof to ensure it remained wind and water-tight. The project included a full replacement of the slate roof and installation of new glazing to replace the existing polycarbonate structure.
A spokesperson for East Staffordshire Borough Council said:
“I’m delighted to see the roof works completed to the Market Hall, as part of the Council’s commitment to protecting our most treasured assets. These works will be an important catalyst in the exciting wider redevelopment of the Market Hall, transforming the venue into a modern, vibrant space right in the heart of the town centre, for both communities and visitors.”
Dominic Edwards, Building Surveyor at Pick Everard, said: “It’s been a really rewarding project to be part of, with great collaboration between East Staffordshire Borough Council, JAL Roofing and the conservation officer throughout. With the re-roofing works now complete, the transformation will make a real difference to the building’s longevity and overall finish, paving the way for planned future development.”
Specialist heritage roofing techniques were used throughout, including the retention and reuse of original slates where possible, replacement of damaged slates, installation of new roof valleys, and repairs to damaged masonry and stonework. All works were completed using like-for-like materials in line with Historic England guidance.
John Lees, Managing Director of JAL roofing, said: “The Burton Market Hall re-roofing project has been a great project for JAL Roofing from start to finish. With several different types of roofing systems on the roof, ranging from modern to heritage techniques, it gave some of our young up-and-coming roofers the chance to see and try their hand at types of roofing that don’t regularly come up. It has been a pleasure working with both East Staffordshire Borough Council and Pick Everard throughout the project and I think the results speak for themselves.”
The Victorian Market Hall was added to the National Heritage List by Historic England in 2022 in recognition of its architectural significance.
The building features distinctive stone carvings and relief work above the entrance, an ornate ventilation tower and original detailing within the market space, with its partially glazed roof supported by cast iron columns.
The completion of the re-roofing programme marks the first step in East Staffordshire Borough Council’s wider vision for the Market Hall.
Future phased regeneration plans include further infrastructure improvements and the creation of a mixed-use destination featuring retail, food and drink, flexible workspace and events space, helping to increase footfall and support Burton town centre.
The market hall will reopen on an interim basis from Thursday 28 May ahead of wider regeneration works planned to commence in 2027.
For more information about Pick Everard and its services, please visit: https://www.pickeverard.co.uk/