Camden’s London Irish Centre secures £38m rebuild for 2029
New three-storey venue will house London’s first dedicated Irish theatre and a 130-seat cinema
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Single Time Out piece cites chair Rosaleen Blair and dates, but no documents or additional outlets, limiting corroboration.
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The London Irish Centre in Camden has selected construction firm Sisk to deliver a £38 million redevelopment of its Camden Square site. Work is scheduled to begin in 2027 and finish in the first quarter of 2029, the centre announced on 30 July.
The project will expand the current two-storey building to three floors. New facilities will include a 130-seat studio theatre and cinema, London’s first dedicated Irish theatre, a heritage and archive centre, and a public library of over 7,000 Irish literary works. The centre will also add modern community spaces, welfare and support facilities, a multi-level bar, and a café.
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Funding and continuity
A portion of the £38 million cost has been provided by the Irish government, the centre said. The remainder comes from private donor pledges, which have already covered a significant share of the budget. Rosaleen Blair, chair of the London Irish Centre, told Time Out that securing the final amount remains a priority before construction can start.
During the rebuild, the centre’s welfare and support services will move to temporary offices in Camden. Cultural events and activities will continue at partner venues across London, ensuring no disruption to the community, the centre confirmed.
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Today’s announcement is a huge milestone, which follows almost ten years of careful planning. In Sisk, we have engaged a world-class builder to deliver a world-class home, that matches the aspirations of the Irish diaspora in Britain.
Rosaleen Blair, chair of the London Irish Centre
Seventy years of service
The London Irish Centre opened in 1954 as a hub for Irish migrants arriving in London. Over the decades, it has provided cultural events, language classes, and practical support, including hardship grants and wellbeing advice. The redevelopment aims to preserve this role while expanding its capacity to serve the Irish community in Britain.
The new heritage and archive centre will document the history of the Irish in Britain, addressing a gap in public records. The centre’s library, with 7,000 Irish literary works, will be one of the largest collections of its kind in London, according to the centre’s plans.
What happens next
Sisk will begin preparatory work in 2027, with the main construction phase following shortly after. The centre must finalise the remaining funding before breaking ground. Once complete, the new building will reopen as a permanent home for Irish culture, welfare, and community services in Camden.
Questions this report answers
+How much will the £38m rebuild cost?
The total redevelopment cost is £38 million. This covers the entire three-storey project, including the new theatre, cinema, heritage archive, and community spaces in Camden.
+When will the rebuild start and finish?
Construction is set to begin in 2027 and complete in early 2029. The London Irish Centre confirmed this timeline after selecting the construction firm Sisk for the project.
+What services will continue during the rebuild?
Welfare support will move to temporary offices in Camden, while cultural events will take place at partner venues across London. The centre has assured no disruption to community services during construction.
+What new facilities will the centre include?
The redeveloped centre will feature London’s first dedicated Irish theatre, a 130-seat cinema, a heritage archive, a 7,000-book library, modern community spaces, a bar, and a café.
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