New owner for Sheffield Old Town Hall 'close to being announced'

A person involved in the sale said they were hoping to announce something imminently.

It comes after up to 10 offers were made for the dilapidated building on Castle Street.

It was put on the market by receivers for £1.35m in June after lenders called time on developer Efe Omu.

Mr Omu had been restoring the Grade-II listed building, which dates back to 1808.

But he was unable to meet deadlines due to lockdown. Another of his projects, the former Cannon Hotel, also on Castle Street, was also put up for sale.

Pantera Property was appointed by LPA receivers and insolvency practitioners Wilson Field, based in Sheffield, to sell both buildings.

The Old Town Hall, which was also used as a court for years, has been disused since 1996.

Mr Omu, whose business is called Aestrom OTH, bought it in 2019 and received planning permission to convert it into apartments, a hotel and a market.

In June, Tom Snook, managing director of Pantera Property, said it was a rare chance to acquire landmark historic properties in one of the north of England’s most significant regeneration areas.

He described both properties as ‘key pieces of the regeneration jigsaw’ in a neighbourhood ‘rapidly becoming one of most exciting areas of town to live, work and visit’.

He added: “Needless to say, we have had a huge amount of interest in both properties from potential buyers and it will be brilliant to see these great buildings become assets to the city once again in the hands of imaginative new owners.”

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.