The Harris Library, The Harris Shop and The Harris IT Centre Service Update
At The Harris, we remain committed to serving our community even during transitional phases. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our service users and staff members is a priority.
While The Harris is closed for The Harris Your Place project, we have established temporary homes for The Harris Library, The Harris Shop, and The Harris IT Centre within The Guild Hall, Preston.
We understand that there is heightened concern at the moment regarding building safety following recent news coverage about Reinforced Autoclave Aerated Concrete (RAAC). The Harris Library, Shop and IT Centre remain open and safe to use.
It is believed that RAAC is present in the Guild Hall in areas not currently used by the Harris, in the roof panels of the Grand Hall and Charter Theatre. This is a localised issue in the self-contained auditoriums.
As a responsible council, the safety of the public and our colleagues must be our number one priority. The remainder of the Guild Hall including the Harris Library and ground floor trading units remain unaffected and are open and safe for businesses, staff and customers.
Read the full statement from Preston City Council
What is RAAC?
RAAC, a lightweight ‘bubbly’ form of concrete was used widely in buildings between 1950 and the mid-1990s, usually in the form of panels on flat roofs, as well as pitched roofs, floors, and walls. The Guild Hall Preston was officially opened in 1973, 50 years ago.
Harris Your Place
Harris Your Place is a £16 million project set to restore and reimagine the Harris for 21st-century audiences as a cultural learning space. The aim of this project is to protect the building and the architecture for future generations whilst enhancing accessibility options and positioning the Harris as a community hub for Preston and Lancashire.
The capital project is more than simply preserving this much-loved building; Harris wants to ensure that it remains a vibrant heart of the community. A place where people want to spend their time.
