Newry, Mourne and Down Council will demolish the former Sean Hollywood Arts Centre to extend the adjacent town hall into a single theatre and conference facility.

Demolition permission was granted by the Department for Infrastructure in April 2025. An adjoining house at No 2 Bank Parade, dating from the 1860s, will also be removed.

The town hall will close temporarily after its final public performance on Sunday. The two-year construction project will link the existing structure to a new conference centre via a glass atrium.

The arts centre building replaced an earlier structure destroyed by an IRA bomb in January 1972 while in use as a tax office. The current facade incorporates a surviving granite portico from the 1830s original.

Ulster Architectural Heritage objected to the demolition, stating the replica classical facade held architectural value and should have been protected within the conservation area. The Department for Infrastructure approved the plans despite the objection.

The council stated that neither building was listed and that the redevelopment would preserve and enhance the conservation area. The council also noted that the project will provide state-of-the-art facilities for performers.

The arts centre will transfer to the contractor in June. Plans include a new public realm scheme along the river bank.