A town centre venue set to open its doors in a former Wetherspoon premises is taking shape with a week to go.
The Birdhouse, on Market Street at the front of Castle Place in Trowbridge, will officially open its doors to the public on Friday July 17, following a weeks-long build up that has been eagerly followed by local residents.
The venue, which will open as music and hospitality venue, is replacing the former Sir Isaac Pitman, which closed its doors nine years ago and has until the coming week, been boarded up.
Run by former Boathouse operated Sam Dean, and local musical impresarios Claire and Chloe Grist, signs of the transformation are on show, with signs now in place outside, and work continuing inside the Castle Place-slash-Market Street venue.
The trio has described it as a new social space designed for daytime comfort and night-time vibrancy, having evolved partly from Claire and Chloe’s ‘Bird is the Word’, an operation to promote the local music scene that has seen them put gigs on at the Boathouse in Bradford on Avon and elsewhere.
Sam, meanwhile, brings extensive experience of operating hospitality venues. Speaking to this paper with a week to go before it opens its doors, he said: “We’re feeling excited, and a lot of work has gone into it.
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“It’s still a work in progress, more work is coming. But we’re planning to be here for the long term. We’re going to be making constant improvements.”
In a message to anyone considering visiting the venue on its opening weekend, Sam added: “Please come and say hello, come and meet our brilliant general manager Steve and the team, most of whom will be known from other spots around town.
“We hope people of Trowbridge will think of The Birdhouse as a home away from home.”
The trio has said The Birdhouse will offer local, sharable and affordable food and drink; live music every weekend, curated through Bird is The Word expertise; a jukebox, pool table and relaxed social spaces; “The Nest” — a cosy corner where visitors can listen to curated Vinyl, CDs and cassettes; and a venue designed to be a home for Trowbridge.
They added that they are hoping to breathe new life into the centre of town, offering a space where friends, families and neighbours can gather, connect and enjoy music.
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