Billington’s Dance Studio set to be restored with GP surgery and event space

Billington’s Dance Studio, which closed in 2016, was bought by Kryzstof Zemlik four months ago.

Co-director of nearby Ascroft Medical, the ground floor of the establishment is set to be transformed into a private GP surgery.

The new plans were announced at a showcase today, with Mayor Jenny Harrison, former owner Brenda Massey, Mr Zemlik, and Oldham Council chief executive Harry Catterall among those in attendance.

The wooden dancefloor – made using wood from a local mill – is set to be fully restored.

Parts of the original curtains, which were damaged on the hall’s final day of opening, when parts were cut off to keep as memorabilia, will be framed and retained in the new conference space.

The original curtains.

In its heyday, Billington’s Dance Hall hosted thousands of dancers at all levels – from beginner to competition level.

Brenda Massey, 79, attended the dance studio since she was just nine years old and later taught at the studio.

Originally Turner’s Dance Academy, it became Billington’s in 1934, and was bought by Brenda and her husband Dennis in 1970 – both former dance pupils whose romance began at the studio.

Speaking to the Oldham Times, Brenda said: “We used to rent it out on Saturday nights.

“Birthdays, twenty-firsts, silver weddings, Oldham weddings, we had everything.

“The hospital nurses used to do their Christmas dos here. We had everybody.”

Anne Sykes, 76, also attended the dance studio.

She said: “Nora Billington was very lively, and boy could she dance.

“I remember her coming from her own house into the ballroom through the one door. It was a great gathering place.”

The first floor of the newly-renovated Billington’s will host business and conference facilities as well as a separate ballroom from September.

The event was well attended. Left to Right in foreground: Krzysztof Zemlik, Mayor of Oldham – Cllr Jenny Harrison, Brenda Massey – past owner of Billington, and Harry Catterall CEO Oldham Council. Photo: Clive Lawrence.

Monthly events are planned to be held and will be available to rent out.

The adjoining residence – currently off-limits due to health and safety – will be turned into an Airbnb – meaning members of the public will have the chance to stay inside the building, which is over a century old.

Speaking to attendees at the event, new owner Mr Zemlik said: “We will have monthly regular events, mainly about business – I want to invite business people to share their stories, I want to invite students to come and talk to us when we do lectures.

“As an aside, I don’t want to do weddings.”

Speaking to the Oldham Times, Mr Zemlik said: “I would like to invite other people who run their own shops and businesses to talk about themselves and share their stories with the community.

!I want to invite students and whoever wants to join and they can learn and be inspired by what has been achieved in Oldham.”

Mayor Jenny Harrison said: “I’d like to congratulate Kryzstof and Ascroft Medical on the ambition that they’ve got for Oldham and the way they’re developing business, education, and the community."

“It’s a wonderful thing to be seeing here in Oldham.”