Work starts on refurbishment of assembly hall at Society headquarters
The assembly hall this week following the removal of the ceiling
and stage |
Refurbishment of the assembly hall at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
London headquarters is now under way.
The work is intended to create a flexible facility that will provide
both a modern Council chamber and state-of-the-art commercial conference
facilities that can be used to generate additional revenue for the Society.
Two large skylights 7m long and 4m wide will be installed so that the
hall, which is in the basement of the building, will get the additional
benefit of natural light. The improvements will also mean better airflow
through the hall, improving comfort for visitors. When finished, it will
be possible to divide the hall into two separate areas. In addition,
four smaller anterooms will be available for breakout sessions during
conferences or as alternative meeting rooms.
The Society’s Director of Finance and Resources, Bernard Kelly,
said: “Addressing many of the issues that members and visitors
have raised with us over the years, the Council agreed in August of last
year to make a significant further investment in the Society’s
headquarters building. This is a comprehensive programme of works that
will result in an extremely modern, central London conference facility
while adding considerable value to the property. It will also enhance
the way the Society conducts its business and will generate extra income
for the Society.”
The project is expected to take about 38 weeks to complete. It will be
the first refurbishment of the hall since the building opened in 1976.
The building work will be fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination
Act 1995, with a lowered stage and wheelchair-accessible lifts. Demountable
furniture will allow greater flexibility to accommodate the different
needs of the Council, the Statutory Committee and other meetings.
The work means that this year’s annual general meeting and branch
representatives’ meeting will have to be held elsewhere. Bookings
have been made at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster,
to hold the AGM on Wednesday May 24 and the BRM on Thursday May 25.
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal