Council continues search for organisation to run venue

Wiltshire Council said it is looking to make progress in its search for a third-party organisation to help run City Hall in Salisbury as an entertainment venue.

The council has said it remains committed to reopening the venue, despite a repair bill to make the building safe totalling around £2m.

The council recently published a Prior Information Notice (PIN). This formally notifies the market and relevant organisations of the council’s intention to work with a third party.

The notice will allow the council to better understand the possible level of interest among third-party organisations to manage and operate City Hall on its behalf as a multi-purpose entertainment and cultural venue.

The PIN is open until the end of November and this process will help establish the best means of ensuring the venue has a long, successful and sustainable future. Alongside the PIN, a market engagement event has been held at City Hall, which gave the council an opportunity to talk with potential operators in more detail.

Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: I’m pleased we’ve reached this informative stage of the process as we look at the options to secure a third-party provider to work alongside, as ensuring we have the right expertise involved remains a key priority. The PIN process and recently held Market Engagement event will be important to help us decide the best direction to go in and ensure we are as informed as we possibly can be when making any decisions.

“We’re pleased to engage with potential operators and, with the amount of investment into Salisbury at the moment, we remain committed to reopening and delivering a thriving City Hall and see it as a key part of the city’s future.”