Denton History Society ‘left homeless’ following Festival Hall closure

The Denton History Society says it has been left “effectively homeless” after being told to remove decades’ worth of documents, archives and artefacts from Denton Festival Hall, with no suitable alternative accommodation in place.

The group, which has preserved and shared Denton’s heritage for more than 50 years, has stored its extensive collection in the Festival Hall for many years. The room, tucked away in the eaves of the building, housed a “huge amount of stuff,” says long-standing member Kath Richardson.

However, access became increasingly difficult after the council raised concerns about the roof and subsequent health and safety issues. For long periods, members could only access materials sporadically.

“We just thought that when repairs had been done, we’d be back to normal,” Kath told the Tameside Reporter. “But now it seems the whole place is being rejigged. The main hall will stay, but the rest of the building is likely to become apartments. So, there will be no room for us, effectively.”

Tameside Council has offered to pay for private storage on a six-month contract, but the Society says the unit is too small and unsuitable for historic material.

“Even if it were suitable, we couldn’t afford to keep it after the six months,” Kath said. “We’re a small society, and the archives wouldn’t be accessible. It’s just storage, things would be locked away with no way to actually use them.”

The closure of Festival Hall also displaced the Society’s long-established monthly meetings, traditionally held on the last Tuesday of each month. After being informed that Victoria Park Community Centre could no longer accommodate them on Tuesdays, the Society was forced to search for yet another new home.

Fortunately, New Chapel Unitarian on Clare Street stepped in and offered a room, “smaller than we would have liked, but at least we have somewhere,” Kath said. Meetings will continue there for the foreseeable future.

The uncertainty around storage puts decades of Denton’s recorded history at risk. The Society’s collection includes documents, photographs, artefacts, locally produced books, and materials relating to the town’s rich heritage, particularly its renowned hatting industry and mining history.

The group has produced exhibitions and educational workshops. Over the years, exhibitions at Victoria Park and St Lawrence’s Church have attracted strong community interest.

“It would be such a shame for it all to be disbanded,” Kath said. “Some of our members have an incredible wealth of knowledge. Our president, Frank, who’s now in his 90s, has written books held at Ashton Archives. The Society has played a real part in documenting Denton’s story.”

With membership currently around 30 and many members elderly, the Society says time is of the essence.

“We’ve been going for more than 50 years,” Kath said. “At the moment, we’ve got all this historical information, and we’re pretty much homeless.”

The Society is appealing to any local organisations, community groups, public bodies or businesses that may be able to offer secure, accessible, long-term storage or a permanent home for its archives.