It was great to be able to welcome so many of you to the recent Engagement Days at the Town Hall to share our plans for the refurbishment, shortly after they had been approved by the Cabinet of Wiltshire Council. I’m delighted to say the response was overwhelmingly positive, despite several individuals expressing concern that we were changing the Town Hall into a music venue at the expense of all the other activities we currently accommodate. I suspect this was the result of headlines in the local press which were then repeated on-line.
Although it is true the Great Hall will, once again, be restored to its former glory as a concert venue, and that there will be recording studios built in the basement, the plan also includes provision for a beautiful art gallery overlooking the Sensory Garden, a separate bespoke space for film and spoken word in a fully refurbished Old Magistrates Court, while the Park View room will benefit from the installation of a sprung floor that will not only be much more gentle on the body for yoga practitioners and toddlers groups, but will also provide perfect conditions for dance groups of all kinds.
It is also important to stress that the Town Hall will radiate out to the wider community, taking our outreach programmes into a variety of locations around town, engaging with as many people as possible, even during the temporary period of closure from the end of July 2023 until the projected re-opening in early 2025.
We would encourage you to come and view the detailed floor plans currently on display in the foyer of the Town Hall, and if you have any questions, please get in touch with us, as we would very much like you to join us as we embark upon an exciting journey to create a building we can all be proud of.
by Alan Wright
