Museum Moves Forward – Contractors Announced

Derry JournalThu, 26/06/2014 - 3:12pm

A £3.7 million renovation of the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall and extension to include the new Siege Museum has moved forward with news that a preferred contractor has been identified for appointment.   

Lead partner Derry City Council has appointed Tracey Brothers Ltd as the contractor on behalf of the Trustees of the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall. Tracey Brothers will now begin work on a pre-construction stage which will survey the present building and develop further the design of the new extension. It is anticipated that the build will commence in early summer.

The new Siege Museum, located in Society Street, will provide a 5000 square ft purpose built visitor centre detailing how the events of the Siege of Londonderry 1688-89 shaped the political landscape in Ireland/Europe. The project will also include works to the adjacent listed Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall, including disability access, mechanical and electrical upgrade and building fabric works. The two buildings will be interconnected, yet retain their own self-enclosed space. Interpretation will be expanded at the Visitor Centre to explain and contextualise the Siege and its commemoration.

Billy Moore, Chair of The Siege Museum Company and General Secretary of the Apprentice Boys Association said:

“This progress is great news, especially as the Apprentice Boys are presently celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of the organisation this year. We are making good progress and hope to formally sign off on this project in the early summer.”

The building project is supported by a variety of funders including almost £2.4 million from the EU’s PEACE III Programme, managed by the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) this includes a match funding contribution of £389k from the Department for Social Development and £404k from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG, ROI). A £1m grant from NITB and funding from the Apprentice Boys of Derry and NI Environmental Agency completes the funding package.