Friends of Salisbury City Hall - Public Update - 2nd March 2024

FRIENDS OF SALISBURY CITY HALL

Public Update 2nd March 2024

The Group calling itself the Friends of City Hall has been working away behind the scenes to try to ensure that the plans being drawn up by the Council for the future of City Hall allow for the interests and wishes of the Salisbury community.

The small subgroup that attended the Wiltshire Council’s City Hall Market Engagement Exercise held in City Hall in November reported back:  it was felt to have been a missed opportunity in which there had been no opportunity to learn from prospective contractors, discuss the problem and possible solutions, nor explore any opportunities for delivering aspects such as innovation or social value.  Speaking with others, they had come to a similar view.

As part of the FSCH Group’s expressed wish to work with all potential contractors wishing to run City Hall, the team have contacted several groups, including Portsmouth Guildhall Trust.  Our objective has been to introduce FSCH and help them understand the very vibrant and knowledgeable creative community that makes up life in Salisbury.  With the aim of ensuring the community has a voice and opportunity to actively engage in the future success of City Hall.   FSCH have undertaken several meetings and visits.  All of which have been welcomed and received extremely positively by the potential bidders recognising the value that FSCH brings to the discussion.

Following on from the Market Engagement event the Council have announced they are looking to offering the facility to organisations on a long term (25 year) lease, stipulating that it remains as an entertainment venue.  In the words of the Council

“We are looking at offering the venue to organisations on a long-term lease [25 years], stipulating that it remains as an entertainment venue.” The Council explains that "We are now in the process of seeking a market provider that will help support us to identify suitable organisations that could take on the lease, and with their expertise we will ensure City Hall is only taken on by the most suitably placed organisation to give it the very best opportunity to thrive for many years to come.

While FSCH is supportive of the Council in re-opening City Hall, given the lack of opportunity to discuss issues such as social value with the Council, the FSCH group remains concerned about the process and potential disparity between the Council’s view and that of the community on what constitutes a “most suitably placed organisation.”  To this end FSCH has arranged a meeting with the Leader, Cllr Richard Clewer in mid-March.  FSCH remains optimistic that a quick and simple solution that reassures the community may be found.

A sub-group recently visited Portsmouth Guildhall Trust, as one of the potential bidders, and learned a great deal about their values, operations, and engagement with communities.  The Guildhall Trust is a registered charity that operates from Portsmouth Guildhall and has recently won the contract to operate the White Rock Centre in Hastings.

Hastings has similarities to our situation in Salisbury and it was therefore interested to see how the Trust operates at a local level.  We were all impressed with the Trust’s commercial approach, community engagement and commitment to sustained development over time.  Making the most of the space and resources available, looking for quick gains but also planning long term eg the current £5M investment, with Arts Council support, into a “Creative space for Young People”.

Moving forward FSCH have agreed:

·      That as a community group we would wish to provide some input to the drafting of the planned lease for City Hall, that supports the essential commercial viability of the operation while also delivering social value and positive engagement with the local community.  

·      We want to reassure the Council that we are not a protest group and are anxious to find solutions that work to everyone’s benefit.  FSCH is made up of residents, many of whom have considerable experience and expertise in the entertainment/arts industry, from the West End to Broadway and beyond.

·      We continue to seek out and talk to all potential bidders, to ensure they are aware of the Salisbury community, its wishes and needs, and the real value and support available to them. 

·      To press forward in establishing an ambitious but realistic timeframe for the re-opening of City Hall, as the process has been very protracted.

The FSCH will continue to constructively challenge and support the Council and potential bidders, to press for the re-opening of City Hall as soon as possible.  Ensuring City Hall becomes a high-quality entertainment venue that is commercially sustainable over the long term, whilst also adding real value to the Salisbury community.