Contractors have begun work on the £8.15 million refurbishment of the historic Trowbridge Town Hall to ensure its future as a hub of activity at the heart of the town.

The refurbishment works are being led by Beard Construction, a specialist construction company that designs, builds, restores, and refurbishes buildings in Southern England.

During the first few weeks, Beard has focused on isolating and disconnecting the services and carrying out a full asbestos survey of the building.

The award-winning contractor has now started erecting scaffolding to the perimeter of the Town Hall to install the new roof and complete essential repairs and restoration of the building’s stonework.

Wiltshire Times: Scaffolding has been installed at the rear of Trowbridge Town Hall to enable stonemasons to work on the exterior refurbishment.Scaffolding has been installed at the rear of Trowbridge Town Hall to enable stonemasons to work on the exterior refurbishment. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

Ahead of internal demolition works, which are due to start in the coming weeks, Beard has carried out a full refurbishment and demolition survey.

Protection has also been installed in the Grade II-listed building to preserve features of the town hall that will remain untouched. 

Wiltshire Times: The internal staircase has been protected to preserve features that will remain untouched during the refurbishment and redevelopment.The internal staircase has been protected to preserve features that will remain untouched during the refurbishment and redevelopment. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

Jamie Harwood, director at Beard, said: “Even in these early stages, it’s fantastic to see some great progress.

“We’re quickly approaching some key milestones in the build as we begin work on replacing the roof and begin demolition to open up the building.

“Getting to this stage alone has involved more than six months of planning and engagement with all stakeholders to ensure we can work safely and with minimal disruption.

“Safeguarding the building and the local community remains our priority as we move into this exciting phase of the project.

“We are grateful to have a wealth of experience in completing complex refurbishment and restoration projects and look forward to getting stuck in.”

Wiltshire Times: Internal stone pillars have been protected to preserve features that will remain untouched during the refurbishment and redevelopment.Internal stone pillars have been protected to preserve features that will remain untouched during the refurbishment and redevelopment. (Image: Wiltshire Council)

Cllr Phil Alford, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for strategic assets, said: “It’s great to see the refurbishment get underway at Trowbridge Town Hall.

“One of our key aims is making sure our towns are resilient, ensuring our communities are able to grow sustainably with access to leisure, arts, heritage and culture.

“The investment forms part of the £16.3 million awarded to Wiltshire Council from the government’s Future High Streets Fund and will ensure the town hall remains a landmark community asset for generations to come.”

It’s anticipated the building will be reopen for public use in 2025. On completion, the town hall will become a major creative and community hub, comprising custom-designed performance and activity spaces, recording studios, a licensed café bar and refurbished spaces for a wide range of community activities.