Broadmarsh and Guildhall 'difficult to manage' amid £1 million security spend

The Guildhall has been hit by several fires in recent months and the frame of the old Broadmarsh shopping centre has an uncertain future

Sites including the Guildhall and former Broadmarsh shopping centre have been described as "difficult to manage" amid more than £1 million of security spending. Anti-social behaviour, theft and vandalism are among the issues being faced by security teams managing Nottingham City Council's assets.

This includes sites such as the Guildhall and Broadmarsh, for which regular "ad hoc" requests for additional security are made. Spending of £1.3 million has now been approved to provide security provision from an outside company.

The city council says that employing new in-house staff would be more expansive as the vast bulk of demand is on an ad hoc basis, so they could end up with more in-house staff than needed. The authority says current demand is around 8,000 hours per month, with 4,500 hours being ad hoc demand.

In a new report approving the spending, the council says: "The presence of a visible guard deters and reduces the risk of anti social behaviour, theft, vandalism and provides reassurance and protection to the citizens of Nottingham. Tasks include patrolling premises internally and externally and providing assistance and a level of customer service to citizens."

"We only cover where asked and some of the estate is difficult to manage, especially Guildhall and the old Broadmarsh shopping centre which has working shops who legally need access via the service deck and also fire escape routes. We regularly review requirements and consider other options with colleagues.

"Wherever possible, we have come up with solutions which are cheaper options, installed reactive CCTV, alarms systems and electronic solutions to allow access. However, it is not always possible to keep a site safe without on-site security."

The 137-year-old Guildhall has been hit by several fires in recent months, with an announcement in June that security would be reviewed after an arsonist evaded capture. The Shakespeare Street site was set to be turned into a hotel, whilst the adjoining police and fire station would have been demolished in favour of student accommodation.

Nottingham City Council's sale of the two buildings to a developer was then thrown into uncertainty when the former police and fire station was also given Grade-II listed status in January 2023, blocking its demolition and redevelopment. Although the listing has "significantly reduced" how much of the complex can be developed, the city council confirmed in early February that new sales terms had been agreed with the original buyer Miller Birch.

The price of the potential sale has not yet been disclosed and Nottinghamshire Live understands progress is still a way off as a pre-application consultation has not started yet. The Broadmarsh shopping centre, meanwhile, has an uncertain future after several attempts at securing government funding to redevelop it failed.

Much of the wider area has been redeveloped, with the Green Heart being the most recent addition, but the frame of the shopping centre itself remains standing. The council's new report adds: "[The Guildhall and Broadmarsh] will eventually be resold or repurposed but legally require security to prevent harm and protect assets."