Wiltshire Council to approve preferred tenant for City Hall

Salisbury: So, here’s the scoop. Wiltshire Council is gearing up to pick a tenant for City Hall and also looking to approve some cash for repairs. This all goes down at their next Cabinet meeting.

The City Hall has been sitting empty since it closed as a vaccination center back in January 2023. It’s been a bit of a ghost town since then.

A recent survey showed that the building needs about £1.81 million in repairs to get it back to a safe and usable state. Plus, they’re looking at another £200,000 for potential asbestos issues and other unexpected costs, according to Council leader Richard Clewer.

The council owns the City Hall and has been on the hunt for a tenant to turn it into an entertainment spot, working with estate agents Savills.

Back in October, Clewer mentioned that there was interest in a long-term lease, but they couldn’t spill the beans on who it was due to confidentiality.

At the upcoming meeting on January 21, they’ll be asked to approve a preferred tenant to take over the venue.

Just a reminder, Salisbury City Hall wrapped up its role as a vaccination clinic in January 2023.

If the Cabinet gives the green light, they can’t reveal the tenant’s name until everything is signed and sealed. They want to keep things under wraps for now.

To show they’re serious about reopening, the council is also looking to approve around £300,000 for some exterior improvements to the building.

If everything goes smoothly, this work will either be done before the lease kicks in or while the new tenant is setting up. The final costs will be sorted out through a formal process.

If the Cabinet agrees, the new tenant plans to reopen the venue later this year.

Clewer is feeling positive about it all. He said they’ve been thorough in their approach and are hopeful to have a confirmed operator soon. He emphasized that they want to make sure everything is done right so the venue can really thrive when it reopens.

People are eager to know who the tenant is, but Clewer insists they need to stick to the process to avoid messing up any potential deals. Fingers crossed for some good news soon!

The proposals will be on the table at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, January 21, and you can check out the full report on the Wiltshire Council’s website.