October 2026 update: Plans submitted for the former museum, court and Hardwick Studios include 39 apartments, five short-stay units, office and community space. The application was reported on 19 October; check the council planning register for its status.
Former home of The Green Man Gallery sold in 2025
Hardwick Hall, former home of The Green Man Gallery, was sold to Solanki Holdings UK & International, with completion reported on 18 November 2025. The company had also purchased the neighbouring Peak Buildings, formerly home to Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, at auction in January 2025.
A deal revived through community encouragement
Speaking to Explore Buxton on how the acquisition came about, owner Nirad Solanki explained:
“We were first offered Hardwick Hall immediately after securing the Peak Buildings, but at that stage the financial metrics simply didn’t stack up. When the asset re-emerged and members of the local community approached me directly, it became clear we had to recalibrate and make the deal viable.”
At the time of the sale, Solanki Holdings said it intended to restore the wider site.
Solanki went on to say:
“We’re genuinely thrilled to take stewardship of another cornerstone of Buxton’s heritage. Hardwick Hall is an iconic asset with deep historic resonance, and our ambition is to reunify the wider site to reflect the scale and integrity it enjoyed in the late 1800s. It’s a privilege to bring it back under one cohesive vision for the town’s future”.
In 2025, the developer said it planned to “reopen and reconnect the entire site, delivering a mixed-use scheme that is both commercially sustainable and sensitive to its heritage setting”.
“This is not about short-term profit; it is about ensuring that these buildings continue to serve the town for generations to come”.
The building was previously due to be sold at auction on 27th November 2025, with SDL Auctions.
A Building With Deep Roots in Buxton’s Story
Hardwick Hall was built in the late 19th century as an extension to the Peak Hydropathic Hotel. A contemporary 1897 building report described additions including a ballroom and bedrooms.
The wider Peak Hydro building later housed a Canadian Red Cross hospital during the First World War.
After the Second World War, the building became home to the local branch of the Royal British Legion. A 2025 local report says the branch bought the property and used it for community events.
In 2014, the Green Man Gallery moved into the building, remaining there until it closed in December 2024. The gallery’s website confirms its closure.
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