Penistone Town Hall

Roofing works have been completed at Penistone Town Hall to help conserve this valued community asset and make sure it can be used by generations to come.

We've completely replaced the roof and guttering of the historic building, which houses the Penistone Paramount Cinema amongst other local businesses and groups.

Work began at the start of August 2023 and was finished in January 2024, making sure the roof is fully watertight.

The new roof is made of reproduced Welsh slate, which is in keeping with the original materials.

The works at the art deco-style town hall were carried out by Barnsley company M.A.M.

They also installed extra roof timbers, new roof coverings, lead work, fascias, guttering and rainwater pipes.

Penistone sheep trail

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Unveiled in November 2023, the Penistone Sheep is a public art trail aimed at bringing visitors flocking.

It features 11 granite sculptures of sheep. It includes those who are reading a book, roller-skating, ready to watch a film or enjoying a bike ride.

The trail is part of our work under the Principal Towns and Local Centres Programme. It encourages people to spend more time in their local high streets and inspire more visitors to come and explore what their local area has to offer.

Following consultation with local residents, businesses and community groups, artist Michael Disley was commissioned to shape 11 woolly new residents from natural granite for Penistone inspired by landmarks around the town.

The sheep trail is rooted in the heritage of Penistone, where sheep sales have been held for hundreds of years. The white faced woodland breed are also known as Penistone sheep.

As part of the project, Michael also held rock carving sessions with almost 100 children at four primary schools.

Penistone sheep art competition

We invited local children to draw a picture of their favourite sheep and suggest a name for their chosen cheerful character. Following a judging panel, our winners were presented with certificates congratulating them on their creativity.

Watch our video to find out more about the Penistone Sheep art competition winners.

Shopfront grants scheme

This initiative helped hundreds of businesses across Barnsley to refresh and update their signage and shopfronts.

In Penistone, 27 shops and businesses improved their premises with investment of £100,000 from us and £45,000 of match funding from business owners.

Public safety

New CCTV cameras have been installed to cover all areas of the town centre and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Plans for Penistone Town Hall

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Plans have been submitted for the next phase of proposed improvements to Penistone Town Hall and the Paramount Cinema.

The proposals include adding a second cinema screen with seating for up to 50 people, including wheelchair spaces.

Introducing this extra capacity would mean the Paramount could offer blockbuster film releases similar to other multi-screen cinemas.

It would allow two films to be screened simultaneously and enable the cinema to offer a more diverse range of screenings such as National Theatre Live and smaller independent films.

The works, which are subject to planning and funding approval, would see the cinema’s facilities improved throughout, with a new café/bar, box office and concession stand located in the front section of the town hall.

We plan to make the facilities welcoming and attractive for all visitors, whether they are coming to watch a film or popping in for a coffee.

The planned redecoration of the public areas would be in keeping with the period features of the historic building, including retaining the coloured stain-glass roof light in the café-bar would be retained as a focal point of the new-look café/bar.

We're working with the cinema’s operators, Penistone Town Council, to bring forward these plans.

Business spotlight: Wool Monkey

Our independent businesses are vital to making sure Barnsley is a vibrant and welcoming place to shop and visit.

Meet Lou, whose yarn and wool shop Wool Monkey is a haven for crafters and creators, offering speciality products, free advice and workshops to help people develop their skills. She's proud to encourage people to explore her home town of Penistone.

Barnsley is a great place for entrepreneurship, establishing thriving start-ups and growing local businesses.

Watch our video to learn more about Lou's journey.

Business spotlight: Sewcial Sewing

Opening a shop in Barnsley was a dream come true for Claire, who runs her own fabric and haberdashery shop, Sewcial Sewing, in Penistone.

Claire built her business through a stall at Penistone Market Barn before launching her own shop on the high street, which has become a popular destination with crafters.

Our Barnsley markets are a great place to start and grow your business.

Watch our video to learn more about Claire's journey, or find out more about Barnsley 2030.

Business spotlight: All is Good

All is Good is a refill centre, gift shop and coffee shop in Penistone. It shows how sustainability can be at the centre of a successful business.

Owners Leanne Gill and Karen Close explain how Penistone has proved the ideal place to grow their sustainable business.

Watch our video to learn more about Leanne and Karen's journey.