Stalled work on old Fulham town hall conversion raises questions

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

The Grade-II* listed former Fulham Town Hall is being protected by live-in guardians while work continues on plans to redevelop the site, five years after approval was originally granted.

Guy Ziser, managing director at the building’s owner, Ziser London, said the impacts of the wider financial market and a lengthy planning process had led to delays to the project, which will see the building turned into a hotel and co-working space.

He also revealed options are being considered including applying for a phased approach to the works, which would enable some elements to be completed and brought back into public use earlier than others.

Situated opposite Fulham Broadway Station and a few minutes’ walk from Chelsea FC ’s Stamford Bridge stadium, the building served as a town hall until 1965 when Hammersmith and Fulham councils merged.

It continued to be used as a registry office until the council, under the previous Conservative administration, sold it in 2013 for £10 million, the process for which was not complete until 2017.

It was said at the time to be ‘dilapidated and water damaged’.

The former town hall was purchased by American leisure chain Dory Ventures, though in 2015 the firm had an application to demolish much of the building and add a new five-storey block refused by the council.

It was then bought in 2019 for £14.75m by Fth Investments – for whom Mr Ziser is listed as the director at Companies House. The proposal to turn it into a boutique 90-room hotel with co-working facilities, while also bringing spaces such as the concert hall back into public use, was approved the year after.

Work to transform the site since then has yet to kick into gear, with Ziser London at one stage reportedly looking to offload the building.

An advert published by real estate advisors Burlington Green Partners detailed how it had been appointed to market the sale of the property, seeking an offer in excess of £24.5 million.

The company however confirmed earlier this year its client had instead decided to take on a new partner, and that it had yet to update the website.

This has also been confirmed by Mr Ziser, who said a new strategic partner was brought on in summer 2024.

He said: “With this new partnership we have since been working to reposition the concept and brand within the planning consent and are considering options including an application to phase the scheme to allow some of it to come forward sooner and be back in public use.”

Residents report that there has been very little activity since the approval was granted. One said scaffolding had been erected though was taken down around two years’ ago. Another said they had seen a man in the town hall, who they assume is one of the live-in guardians.

Live-in guardians occupy vacant buildings for knock-down rent.

Mr Ziser continued to confirm the building is being protected by live-in guardians, and that routine maintenance work is done to preserve the historical fabric.

Charlotte Dexter, a local and co-founder of the new FulhamBroadwayTogether residents action group, said the former town hall once reopened will act as ‘a key anchor for commercial growth in the Fulham Regeneration Area’.

“We’re excited about using this listed public building for meeting friends and neighbours in public spaces and enjoying a bite to eat along with what we hear might be a very interesting wine cellar,” she said. “It will be a gem of magnificent surroundings with 130-year old locally made stained glass windows all over. It’s almost cathedral-like.”

The former Fulham Town Hall is not the only site undergoing change in the Broadway area. The former Whole Foods is to become a new M&S, work is underway turning an old station ticket office into a Wetherspoon, and Aldi is moving into the Broadway complex.

Pictured top: Fly-posters outside the old town hall building (Picture: LDRS)