A HISTORIC former dancehall in Workington has been demolished after plans were first submitted over three years ago. 

The Princess Hall building on Princess Street in Workington was demolished throughout the week, with the demolition of the last remaining walls of the building took place around 4.30pm on Tuesday, April 9.

A decision was made on Friday, November 11 2022 for the former dance hall to be demolished after a planning application was submitted by Redacre Investments LLP in September 2022, after an initial bid for the building to be redeveloped was refused by Allerdale Borough Council .

After an appeal to the planning inspectorate it was decided in 2023, that planning permission would be granted for demolition of existing two storey building and the construction of a two-storey mixed use building accommodating two retail units at ground floor with seven apartments at first floor alongside three townhouses at Princess Hall, Princess Street, Workington.

Princess Hall was, for many years, a real staple in the lives of the area’s youth, with many young men and women meeting their future husbands and wives there.

In recent years the building was a second hand goods store and has slowly fallen into disrepair.