Colston Hall refurbishment faces going 'millions' over budget

• Watch the full report by our reporter Max Walsh

The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has admitted the ongoing refurbishment at Colston Hall is likely to go millions of pounds over budget, as a result of the coronavirus crisis and some unexpected discoveries.

The 150 year-old music venue closed two years ago as part of a major of restoration project. It was due to open in autumn 2021 with a new name, but that now appears to be in doubt.

Marvin Rees said, "in many ways it was inevitable" that costs would rise.

Since work began on the building there have been a number of structural issues involving the pillars, the foundations contain two twelve metre-deep Elizabethan wells as well as hidden rooms which would have formed part of a Victorian heating system.

Bristol City Council has put forward £10 million towards the £50 million furbishment, with the remainder of the money coming from Arts Council Funding, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Government and the West of England Combined Joint Committee. However there are concerns that figure will continue to rise.

The coronavirus pandemic has also delayed work on site and the plan to open in Autumn 2021 now looks increasingly optimistic.