Wiveliscombe Town Hall is set to re-open this summer

Wiveliscombe Town Hall Trust is holding a community meeting on Wednesday, May 24, in preparation for the reopening of the premises later this year.

The hall, in The Square, was built by Alexander Baring, Lord Ashburton in 1842.

On the ground floor there was a shambles, or market, for local traders while assembly rooms on the first floor provided the town with a place for meetings and entertainment.

A portico, which graced the front of the building, was removed in the 1930s when the Co-op bought and adapted the building to more modern retailing.

Until the 1950s the first floor town hall, as it was by then known, was still used for films and dances.

But since then it has lain empty and largely forgotten.

The building was listed in the 1980s and, after years of campaigning, the trust was granted a 99-year lease of the hall by the Co-op in 2015.

Emma Bettridge, chairman of the trustees, said: “It’s taken a long time to get to this stage, but our vision is to create an arts centre for Wiveliscombe and the Brendon Hills.

"We plan to present theatre, film, music and comedy performances, as well as make the hall available for local residents and organisations to hire for their own events.

"It will be a great day this summer when we can once again open to doors to this wonderful building."

Trustee Eddie Gaines said: “The reopened town hall and the events it can hold will make Wiveliscombe an even better place to live and visit.

"We will be working closely with local venues and businesses to make sure we complement and support each other in every possible way.”

With funding in 2021 from the Architectural Heritage Fund and Somerset West and Taunton Council, the trust has started works to ensure the building is safe for public use.

It will still be spartan, and initially won’t even have a water supply, but it will enable events to once again be held in the there.

Gradually, in the following years, the building will be further improved and upgraded.