Engineers called in as cracks form after £1m revamp of hall

The cracks have formed in the stonework around windows and doors at the back of the hall.

It was closed for 18 months from January 2008 to July 2009. The restoration scheme was held up by delays and setbacks which included the discovery of a four-metre (13ft) deep well under the foundations of the 100-year-old building.

Stephen Lord, owner of the Harrison Lord gallery next to the hall said: "The back door is surrounded by cracks – it looks as it could be leaning a bit."

Coun Colin Stout (Ind. Brighouse) said the cracks had worsened in recent weeks. He said: "It is important not to alarm people who use the Civic Hall but it is also crucial that the building is safe.

"I am seeking reassurance from the council's building maintenance team that the Civic Hall is safe and that, if any more work is needed, it can be done without further disruption to events taking place there.

"Because the contractors were having to work without the original plans they encountered problems to do with the age of the building and a general lack of maintenance over the years."

Calderdale Council building maintenance surveyor John Catanach said: "The cracks are caused when the weather goes from hot to cold very quickly. We are going to stabilise them and monitor the situation."

He confirmed that expansion joints had not been used on the 40 metre (131ft) rear wall.

The Civic Hall was built in 1868 by the Brighouse Town Hall Company Ltd and used as a public hall and theatre until 1898, then as a magistrates' court until 1902. It was used as a cinema until 1959.

The former Brighouse borough council converted the building to a Civic Hall in 1968.

Over the years Calderdale Council has made improvements to the hall but the last programme of works represented the most

significant expenditure since 1968.

The hall is a Grade II Listed Building and the programme needed the approval of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to ensure the protection of the building.