Town Hall events to go ahead

Leeds Town Hall is a regular venue for music events

Leeds Town Hall has been given the all-clear to stage events and shows after concerns about the venue's safety.

A concert by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on Saturday evening will go-ahead after structural engineers confirmed the floor in the main hall is sound.

Concerns were raised on Wednesday when a rock concert was stopped after the floor began to shake.

But after engineers checked the building on Friday Leeds City Council says it will now continue with its entertainment programme in the run-up to Christmas.

Safety priority

Catherine Blanshard, the chief officer for Libraries, Arts and Heritage said: "Structural experts and licensing authorities have now inspected the building and agreed that the floor is safe.

"As an extra precaution we have added additional support beneath the main concert hall in a bid to reassure everyone that public safety at our events is our highest priority."

More than 900 fans had been watching the US band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform in the main hall of the famous Victorian building on Wednesday evening.

The floor's movement is monitored, and when officials became concerned at what they saw, they stopped the performance and asked fans to leave.

Leeds Town Hall, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1858, is due to be closed for part of next year for renovation.