THE council chambers at Liverpool Town Hall are being given a major facelift, thanks to the expertise of a Merseyside restoration company.

Corinthian Furniture, specialists in making and restoring fine furniture, were given the mammoth task of returning the chambers back to their former glory.

The Little Crosby company has set about restoring all 156 seats in the council chamber, as well as repolishing a grand 12ft reporters table and a 1760 Georgian table, which takes pride of place in the room, and repairing damage to the original doors.

The present town hall is the third to have been built on or near the site. The first was built in 1515, while the second was built in 1673.

The town hall as we know it today was built in 1754 based on a design by John Wood, of Bath. It was gutted by fire in 1794, but was built and restored over the following years.

Further restoration work took place between 1993 and 1995, but this is the first time Corinthian Furniture has been asked to take on the work.

Established in 1994, the specialist business has undertaken restoration projects at Crosby Hall, Croxteth Hall, Manchester Town Hall and the Elizabethan Court Rooms in West Derby.

Over the years, the furniture restorers at Corinthian have restored and repaired fine antique furniture for both private and commercial clients. Ranging from simple French Polish to more complex marquetry repair.

Andrew McLoughlin and business partner Neil O’Brien took over Corinthian Furniture in September, 2009, after both serving as apprentices at the business for more than 10 years under previous owners Richard Jeremy and Dan Goodwin.

The company, recognised by the British Antique Restorers Association, has taken on 19-year-old apprentice Jamie Stokes, bringing their team to a total of three.