Long-term lease on offer for City Hall

Wiltshire Council is looking to engage an organisation to run Salisbury’s City Hall on a long-term lease following its market engagement, calling it ‘insightful’.

Wiltshire Council recently engaged with providers to help the council establish the most positive and viable way forward for the venue.

Considering the feedback during this process, it is now considering offering the venue to organisations on a long-term lease, stipulating that it remains an entertainment venue. Wiltshire Council will retain ownership of the venue.

The council is now in the process of seeking a market provider that will help support it in identifying suitable organisations that could take on the lease, using their expertise to ensure City Hall is only taken on by the most suitably placed organisation to give it the very best opportunity to succeed in the long-term.

As City Hall has a status as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), the council has to inform the Local Planning Authority of the ‘intention to enter into a relevant disposal’ of the site when plans are being considered to introduce a future lease is more than 25 years in length. This is a technical and legal process that the council has carry out, however it remains fully committed to reopening City Hall as an entertainment venue.

Wiltshire Council Leader. Cllr Richard Clewer said: “We’re pleased to have reached this stage of the process because, as we’ve stated all along, we are fully committed to reopening City Hall as a thriving entertainment venue and see it as a key part of the city’s future.

“Following our recent procurement exercise and market engagement work it clearly emerged that looking to offer City Hall out on a long-term lease was the most suitable option and will give the venue the best possible chance of long-term success.

“If we secure an organisation to take on the venue, we will remain as owners and ensure that the venue is retained as an entertainment venue, which will complement the overall cultural quarter vision we have for the city.

“There is still work to do before we can confirm any final arrangements, but we’re excited about the future and look forward to securing a provider through a rigorous process as soon as possible.”

Information on City Hall can be found at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/salisbury-city-hall.