Calls are growing in Trowbridge for a chunk of the £8 million funding set aside to renovate the town hall to be spent on creating a top-notch concert hall in the building.
As Wiltshire Council prepares to analyse results of a public consultation set up to discover how residents would like an award of £16.3 million of government cash to be spent locally, one option is believed to be a proposal to expand facilities at the town hall so that bands, orchestras and theatre could be better accommodated.
The council has received £16,347,056 from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund to be spent on sprucing up the county town, of which £8,176,810 of that has been allocated to restoring and refurbishing the Grade 2 listed town hall.
The town hall was opened in 1889 “for the benefit of the inhabitants of the town for ever” and for decades it was a major public venue for all kinds of cultural and civic occasions which included local amateur and semi-professional dramatic societies, choirs, orchestras, professional theatre, music hall, cinema and many music concerts and dances covering big band, jazz, disco, rock ‘n roll and the famous Top Twenty Club.
However, although the town hall continues to host a wide variety of events, these are limited by the size of the available rooms, with the largest, the Park View room, having a capacity for only 80, seated.
But if the Great Hall ballroom was reconverted to the large venue that it was in the sixties when top rock bands were drawn to perform there, it could facilitate money-making live events.
An option to open-up the Great Hall as an auditorium to seat 500, or 800 standing, is understood to be under consideration.
It is also understood that local theatre, arts and music societies would support this option for a large venue and the box office income generated could also ease financial pressure on the Town Hall Trust, the charity which runs the building owned by Wiltshire Council.
The Town Hall Trust said: “We have ambitious plans for our future. These include restoring the historic ballroom and improving the building to allow even more people to enjoy it.”
Glynn Bridges, chairman of the Trowbridge Civic Society and a town councillor, indicated that he would favour opening-up the Great Hall.
He said: “We need to wait to see what is decided after the public consultation, but I believe it would be good for Trowbridge to have a large hall of character in the town hall. I would think that if it was cost effective then anyone would support that, it could be wonderful.”
Last week Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, revealed that the authority is chasing more makeover money for Trowbridge, on top of the £16.3 million from the government. It is understood from other sources that millions from the Heritage Lottery will be sought.
“These projects are only the beginning of the regeneration of Trowbridge town centre. We are actively seeking funding to enable other exciting schemes to come forward in the future,” said Mr Clewer.
Wiltshire Council’s public consultation on what residents want in their town ends on Friday at 5pm.
The survey asks: What should Trowbridge be known for? What brings you here? What makes you want to stay? What makes you want to leave? How can we bring more people to Trowbridge?
To complete the survey online go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fhsf‐trowbridge
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