Birmingham City Council has issued an update on ongoing efforts to safeguard the crumbling Grade II-listed Methodist Central Hall, a historic landmark in Corporation Street, after campaigners raised alarms about its risk of collapse.
The council had previously served an urgent works notice to the building’s owners due to escalating concerns over the condition of the structure, which was originally opened in 1904. Visible deterioration to the red-brick hall’s roof and windows has intensified worries about the building’s safety and structural integrity.
For nearly a decade, the hall has fallen into disrepair, following the closure of the former Que Club in 2017. In response to activist calls for preservation, the council took proactive steps earlier this year, implementing safety measures around the site and engaging in ongoing discussions with the property owners.
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A receiver has since been appointed to address the necessary repairs. Birmingham City Council stated: “We continue to work closely with all parties to ensure this important historic building is protected. The receiver has informed us they are awaiting a detailed cost report for the required works, expected by the end of this month.”
In 2022, Press Up Hospitality Group and Oakmount obtained planning permission to convert the hall into a 155-bedroom hotel, branded as ‘The Dean’. However, the project stalled, and the building was subsequently placed back on the market in 2025 through Savills and Sanderson Weatherall, following the appointment of receivers by the project’s funder.
Recognized as one of Birmingham’s most significant historic landmarks, the hall was listed among the ‘most at-risk’ Victorian and Edwardian buildings nationwide. The Victorian Society echoed local concerns, emphasizing the urgent need to halt the hall’s ongoing decay.
As the city awaits the cost assessment and further action, campaigners remain hopeful that the landmark’s long-term future will soon be secured.