Work to start on refurbishment of historic town hall

The extensive refurbishment of the historic Town Hall in Trowbridge is set to start this month.

In order to undertake the works a number of road closures have been put in place.

Caroline Thomas, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We have this wonderful Grade II listed building in the heart of Trowbridge town centre and to ensure it remains a treasured venue for future generations to enjoy it needs extensive refurbishment.

“Works of this nature will cause some disruption to local residents and businesses, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Our main contractor, Beard, will work closely with those neighbouring residents and businesses who are most affected by these works to minimise the impact on them. We would like to thank those residents who attended our recent Meet the Contractor event to find out more information.

“This major investment in the Town Hall supports a key aim in our Business Plan of making sure our towns are resilient, ensuring our communities can grow sustainably with access to leisure, arts, heritage and culture. It is great to see these works about to start so we can look forward to the Town Hall being open once again to the public in Summer 2025.”

The refurbishment of the Town Hall forms part of the £16m investment in Trowbridge town centre via the government’s Future High Streets Fund. Upon completion of the works, the Town Hall will become a major creative and community hub, comprising custom designed performance and activity spaces, recording studios and a licenced café bar with refurbished spaces for a wide range of community activities.

Jamie Harwood, director at Beard, commented: “This is an exciting project, and we are proud to be supporting the Trowbridge community once again and playing our part in safeguarding the future of its historic Town Hall. We will use all our expertise in the heritage sector and with complex listed buildings to ensure the Town Hall will continue to support the community for many generations to come.

“While the project does present challenges, our team has worked incredibly hard to maintain an open dialogue with all parties to ensure all work is conducted safely and sensitively, with as little disruption to residents as possible. As a result, we’re confident we will deliver the necessary changes to realise the council’s impressive vision, while bringing the quality of construction Beard has become renowned for during its 130-plus year history.”