By the late 1990s, the Drill Hall had begun to fall into a state of disrepair and was closed in 1999 due to the electrical systems being unsafe. There were calls to demolish the building but, after huge pressure from the community, the decision was taken to instead invest in its refurbishment.
Five years and a £2.6m renovation project later the building was re-opened in 2004 as the Drill Hall we know and love today. As part of the refurbishment, a highly flexible state of the art auditorium and modern café bar was created within the huge main hall of the building. The orientation of the building was also reversed – the original entrance on Broadgate was not sympathetic to accessibility and performance access requirements, leading to the construction of a main entrance on Freeschool Lane.
Lincoln Drill Hall was run by City of Lincoln Council until September 2010, at which point the management of the venue was handed over to Lincoln Arts Trust Ltd, an independent registered charity.
In the summer of 2011, 4 technicians with an angle grinder came together to improve our lighting capabilities by installing a flown lighting grid.
Taken from: http://www.lincolndrillhall.com/about-us/the-venue-its-history