Burslem Market Hall has been awarded £1 million in government funding to support its restoration and eventual return to use, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has announced.
The money comes from the Heritage at Risk Capital Fund, funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and delivered by Historic England.
The council says the award will build on repairs already under way at the Grade II listed hall. The building dates from 1879 and closed in 2003 after becoming unsafe.
The council says it is investing around £4 million in repairs and work to make the hall suitable for temporary uses while long-term plans are developed.
Current work includes replacing the roof while retaining as much original Victorian ironwork as possible. Brickwork, glazing, timber structures, guttering and drainage are also being repaired to make the building watertight and structurally sound.
The council says the improved building could accommodate pop-up markets, events and community activities while options for its future are developed following consultation earlier this year.
A new award, separate from earlier funding
The council has confirmed that the £1 million award is separate from a previous funding offer withdrawn in January 2026.
Historic England subsequently awarded a development grant of up to £200,000 for planning and feasibility work. With the new capital award, the project has secured up to £1.2 million in government support delivered through Historic England.
Council leader Jane Ashworth said the market hall had stood empty for more than 20 years and that work was now progressing, although more remained to be done before its doors could reopen.
No reopening date has been announced in the release.