Wiltshire Council appoints estate agent for Salisbury City Hall

Friends of Salisbury City Hall, the group who pushed for the council to reopen the venue 'now', announced the update on Monday, April 8.

Wiltshire Council is yet to announce which market provider it has appointed.

This comes as part of the tender process which expects to source a selection of suitable tenants to run City Hall.

The successful tenant will then be recommended to Wiltshire Council.

Friends of Salisbury City Hall protested for its reopening in July last year. (Image: Newsquest)

This process is expected to be lengthy but Jeremy Nettle, chair of FSCH and Salisbury city councillor, hopes this means professionality and everything will be done "by the book".

"It’s not to anyone's benefit to have the City Hall opened quickly, and then close six months later due to poor management," he said.

Jeremy Nettle is chair of Friends of Salisbury City Hall. (Image: Jeremy Nettle)

A successful tenant will likely be one who has a successful record of running similar venues and has Salisbury's long-term interests at heart.

FSCH has been engaging with Wiltshire Council's leader Richard Clewer to ensure residents' voices are heard.

Read more: ​Wiltshire Council criticised for not repairing Salisbury City Hall

Mr Nettle added: “There is a huge pool of talent and expertise in Salisbury and we are all itching to get City Hall up and running again, bringing more life and vitality back into the City.

"We have contributed positively to the process and eagerly anticipate the Council moving to the next stage in finding the right contractor to run City Hall for the benefit of all of Salisbury and our surrounding villages.”

Councillor Richard Clewer, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We will confirm who we will be working with to market City Hall to prospective third-party organisations on a long lease very soon.

“The market provider will support us to identify suitable organisations who are best placed to enter a lease in excess of 25 years, with a stipulation that the venue remains as an entertainment venue. If an operator is appointed as a result of this process, we would retain overall ownership of the venue.

“Our sole focus is to secure an appropriate external operator who will reopen and manage City Hall on our behalf as a thriving entertainment venue that complements our long-term vision for the city.”