Salisbury City Hall could re-open 'this time next year', Council Leader says
Negotiations with parties interested in a long-term lease of the venue are underway
We've been told Salisbury City Hall could potentially re-open in the second half of 2025.
Wiltshire Council, who own the venue, have been seeking to partner with an organisation to run the venue for entertainment, and announced last week that a number of parties had stated their interest in taking on a long-term lease.
The venue closed its doors in March 2020 and was last used as a site for vaccinations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It's also been subject to many calls from local groups for immediate re-opening.
Wiltshire Council Leader, Richard Clewer, told Greatest Hits Radio that bringing in experts is the right move.
"We're doing to make sure that City Hall reopens as a live entertainment venue with a proper, sustainable future," he said, adding that the venue had historically been funded by local government.
But he doesn't want to rely on that.
Cllr Clewer said: "I want someone who is in running City Hall who has the professional wherewithal to run an arts building and let's be honest, Wilshire Council, we are primarily a social care provider, that is the bulk of what we do.
"Running entertainment venues is never going to be our specialty, so it's to bring in an organisation who specialises in doing that, who can take on the running of City Hall and keep it open for the people of Salisbury in the area around for the long term."
Negotiations with interested parties are already underway, and they will factor in the repair work to the building's roof which has played a part in preventing the venue being opened again.
It's estimated that repairs will cost in the region on £2 million.
"There will need to be an understanding of what works need to be undertaken before the City Hall can reopen and what further internal works and you and your operator would need to carry out to help make it viable," Cllr Clewer said.
He added that the interior of the venue may look very different to before, with the size of the bar a 'significant issue'.
"I never remember to order drinks in advance and therefore I'll end up going out of a concert with a huge queue at the bar, not getting an interval drink that isn't good because event music venue makes its money on being able to sell those drinks and snacks and whatever else to people.
"I think I think there'll be other things that an operator will want to look at above and beyond the structural issues that will need to be dealt with to get the building open."
Cllr Clewer told us it's hoped that within the next few weeks the council will be able to finalise who it's preferred bidder will be.
And while he said it is dangerous to be too definitive and there's still a lot of discussion to be had, he's hopefully of a contract being signed this year, work starting in early 2025, with doors reopening in the second half of the year.
"There's things that could get in the way of it still," he warned, before adding: "I would hope that that that certainly by this time next year we will be looking at City Hall open and with people in attendance."