St Helens Labour has set out its ambitious plans to restore and re-purpose the historic Gamble Building sharing progress and emerging proposals at a public engagement event. (See images below)
The event gave residents, community groups and partners the opportunity to see detailed proposals, hear about work already completed, and help shape the future of one of the town’s most important civic landmarks.
The Gamble Building, gifted to the people of St Helens by Sir David Gamble and opened in 1896, has always been a place rooted in learning, culture and opportunity. Labour’s plans aim to restore that original purpose — bringing the building back into public use and placing it at the heart of the town centre’s regeneration.
Councillor Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Council, said:
“This is about restoring the much loved Gamble Building at the heart of our community. As a Labour council, we didn’t just want to reopen the doors, we had a bigger ambition than that. We wanted to regenerate this much loved building so it can be used and accessed by all ages and generations for years to come”
“This is about putting the Gamble Building back where it belongs — at the heart of our community. As a Labour council, we didn't just want to reopen the doors, we had a bigger ambition than that. We wanted to regenerate this much loved building so it can be used and accessed by all ages and generations for years to come" - Cllr Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Labour Council
An Inclusive, Modern Community Asset
The proposals presented outline Labour’s vision to transform the Gamble Building into a welcoming, accessible and sustainable community hub that serves residents of all ages. Emerging plans include:
- A modern Central Library, restoring the building’s historic role as a centre for learning and creating a welcoming “living room” for the borough with flexible seating, digital access and a dedicated children’s space.
- A state-of-the-art public Archive, with specialist storage, research facilities and interactive heritage learning spaces, protecting our history for future generations.
- A new Youth Hub, shaped by feedback from young people, featuring digital facilities including e-sports, podcast and music recording studios, performance space and coding and ICT classrooms.
- Flexible community, cultural and commercial spaces, ensuring the building can adapt to changing needs and remain financially sustainable.
- A fully accessible contemporary extension, linking directly to the new Transport Interchange and integrating the building into the wider town centre regeneration programme.
- Office space for council staff, increasing footfall in the town centre and supporting local shops and businesses.
The vision reflects Labour’s commitment to public spaces that are inclusive, future-focused and rooted in the community, while honouring Sir David Gamble’s original mission to support education, skills and civic pride.
Progress Already Delivered
The Labour-led Council has already made significant progress in preparing the Gamble Building for full restoration:
- Around £1.2 million invested in external repairs, including roofing, drainage, new windows and restoration of brick and terracotta features.
- Comprehensive structural surveys completed to underpin the next design stage.
- Internal enabling works under way, including asbestos removal and clearance of outdated materials.
- Local specialist contractors Krol Corlett, based in the Liverpool City Region, currently delivering essential works on site.
Funding has been secured through a combination of public sources, including the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Town Deal and wider regeneration funding.
Shaped by the Community
The engagement event at The World of Glass forms a key part of a commitment to early and meaningful community involvement ahead of a planned planning submission in 2026. Attendees viewed heritage displays, watched a short film on the building’s significance and heard updates from council teams and lead architects Donald Insall Associates.
The public drop-in session was very well attended with residents from across the borough can viewing the proposals, asking questions and sharing ideas.
Feedback will directly inform the next stage of design, helping ensure the final plans protect the Gamble Building’s heritage while delivering a space that works for the people of St Helens — now and for generations to come.
Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at St Helens Borough Council, said:
“It is fantastic to share these images offering an insight to our vision for the Gamble Building with residents and stakeholders. As a Council, we made a commitment to bring the Gamble Building back to its former glory and these images demonstrate the bold ambition we have for the next chapter of this historic landmark. The designs allow people to understand our vision for the Gamble and how it truly will act as the living room of our Borough where there is something for everyone to access, enjoy and feel proud of now and for future generations.”
“It is fantastic to share these images offering an insight to our vision for the Gamble Building with residents and stakeholders. As a Council, we made a commitment to bring the Gamble Building back to its former glory and these images demonstrate the bold ambition we have for the next chapter of this historic landmark. ” - Councillor Richard McCauley, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at St Helens Borough Counci
