Hopwood Hall—an 18th-century aristocratic mansion with a colorful history and ongoing community ties in Middleton, Greater Manchester—faces an uncertain future. Local campaigner Ian DePree, the hall’s restorer, is still engaged in an ongoing legal struggle with Rochdale Borough Council. Instead, the council decided not to extend DePree’s option agreement. They pointed to worries over the sustainability of his proposals for the venue as the main driver behind this unusual clash.
Hopwood Hall features 60 rooms and has sections that were built in the 1420s. The last direct descendants vacated the property in the 1920s. Tragically, both of the would-be direct heirs perished in combat during World War One. The building deteriorated in the decades that followed until DePree began the ambitious, extensive project of restoration.
In 2022, DePree finally got planning permissions to completely refurb Hopwood Hall into an event and hospitality venue. He’s personally invested the equivalent of £750,000 into making the project a reality. In fact, to finance their restoration he sold his residence in the Hollywood Hills. He furthers his passion for this pursuit in his 2022 book “Downton Shabby.” In this piece, he documents his effort to restore the legendary place.
The complicated and beautiful restoration project has garnered financial support from government, non-profit, and philanthropic partners. From 2017 to 2024, Rochdale Borough Council spent £557,000 just on basic repairs. Historic England played a key role in almost £1 million of funding to help restore the building. Today, the council is spending £700,000 more to repair roofs and carrying out a feasibility study into Hopwood Hall.
These efforts are admirable, but tensions came to a head when, in November 2024, Rochdale Borough Council changed the locks on DePree’s premises. The council based its decision on recommendations from consultants who claimed that DePree’s plans were “unlikely to be able to secure future public or private funding.”
In view of this new development, DePree has launched a High Court challenge to overturn the council’s move.
“When I took the project on, the hall was just a few years from completely falling down and becoming a ruin,” – Ian DePree.
DePree’s dedication to the project has been deep. He changed countries for it, obtained British citizenship, and given up his former life. At the end of the day, he said, he felt the council had betrayed them by going back on their agreement.
“We worked so hard and poured everything into it. I moved countries. I got British citizenship. I left behind a life and sold my home. I went through so much with the belief that the council was being open and honest with me, and I trusted them,” – Ian DePree.
DePree, for his part, argues he did everything required by their contract and then some. He lamented what he views as a breakdown, on the council’s part, of following through on the council’s own promises.
“Ultimately I had an agreement that I signed with them that I fulfilled. My lawyers feel that we fulfilled that, and the council went against that, and I felt that I had no other choice other than to file court proceedings against them,” – Ian DePree.
In response, Neil Emmott from Rochdale Borough Council emphasized that they must uphold their duty to protect historic assets by ensuring compliance with all agreements.
“Mr DePree was asked to meet a number of conditions when we entered into our agreement with him. We would be failing in our duty to protect our historic assets if we didn’t hold Mr DePree to the terms of this agreement,” – Neil Emmott.
Both sides are still at an impasse as they gear up for the courtroom drama. DePree doesn’t budge on his conviction. He understands quite well that the council’s moves threaten not only his work but the future of Hopwood Hall as a site.
“This will poison everything my team and I had worked so hard to achieve,” – Ian DePree.
While both sides prepare for a long court fight, the future of Hopwood Hall hangs in the balance. DePree’s vision is to have the site restored and return it to an active event space. Leaders from Rochdale Borough Council stress how absolutely critical a commercially successful business model is to guaranteeing its long-term sustainability.
“a commercially viable business model to secure the long term future of the hall,” – Council spokesperson.