Team Spotlight - Tom Rattigan, Building Manager

I have now worked at Victoria hall for about a year as buildings manager, In that time i have promised Rachel multiple times that I would write a blog and social media posts for her and they’ve always been pushed down the list. I wanted to honour the request and her and tell you a little about what the last year has been about, what we’ve been working on and where we’re hopefully going next.

When I started at the Hall there was a little part of a plan but nothing in the detail needed for a building on the scale and complexity of the Victoria Hall. I was born in Sheffield and have always come full circle back to Sheffield, spending time away but always coming back. I knew little about Victoria Hall, about the soup kitchen that has run every Sunday for 26 years, the countless communities that call us home or the other 2500 people that would come through our doors in a week. We are not just a venue but also a community home for charities and churches alike. From Sheffield's 1st trade union having their meeting in Victoria Hall or support services for asylum seekers and refugees, we serve all.

The building is grade 2 listed and we try as hard as we can to show off and protect those details. Tiles which have been painted over 30 years ago taking the time to restore them, polishing oak sills and protecting what we have is really important to us. We want the hall to reflect that, to reflect its importance as a listed building and us being there to protect it.

The job sounded so nice at the interview and the tour of the building after showed all the beautiful parts of the building. We have 8 floors in total, 5 halls, 6 meeting rooms and 147 fire doors. The complexity of how pipes run around the building and how distribution boards travel from one side of the building to the other is complex and the job has grown into that.

We have developed processes and policies to help us keep on top of everything but more we have a great team trying everyday to make the hall better. Both cleaners, managers and caretakers all work 110% to make it a great place to work and a great venue.

I wanted to spend a little more time telling you what we've done so far and what we’re excited about. Over the next few weeks we’ll try and do that!