Hope for the future after City Hall closure

BEEN chatting to Richard Clewer, deputy leader of Wiltshire Council, about the City Hall closure and plans for its future.

He tells me that the council is well aware that it’s a war memorial, it’s not hatching any nefarious scheme to get rid of it, and definitely intends to reopen it when circumstances permit, though he admits that there’s no timescale because there’s no way of gauging how long the impact of Covid will be with us.

He explains that there was no prospect of it getting Arts Council aid, of the type that was given to the Playhouse, Arts Centre, Winchester Gate, etc., because the Arts Council wouldn’t see it as a creative hub  - i.e it’s not producing new creative content.

It’s been hosting a lot of tribute bands rather than original artists – and there are all sorts of economic reasons for that. It’s not big enough to make money for a really big-name band. I’ve enjoyed all sorts of stand-up comedy there. But it’s not where people go, by and large, to see new stuff showcased, and that’s where the government money’s going.

However, he’s really keen to see it staging more original work when it does relaunch, and that’s music to my ears. As long as Salisbury folk will feel safe getting out and about again, and be able to support so many venues in sufficient numbers.

Acoustics are a bit of a problem at the City Hall. I’ve watched Billy Bragg play there and at the Arts Centre, and definitely preferred the latter, so that's a good point of comparison.

Money needs to be spent putting the sound right. The building would also benefit hugely from a wholesale refurb to get rid of the drab, depressing municipal colour scheme and to divide up the spaces in a more exciting, flexible way that would accommodate a wider variety of uses. So much could be done with it during the daytime when it’s normally pretty dead. Just think of what's being done all over the place with redundant churches!

It could be a community asset with a genuine feeling of community ownership, but it needs a great deal of commitment, effort and imagination, not to mention cash, and with Covid controlling everything at the moment, it’s hard to see how this will come about.

So closing City Hall, rather than the Playhouse or those other venues, was the least worst option for the council in the circumstances, according to Cllr Clewer. And when you put it like that, it doesn’t sound so unreasonable.

It is very rough on the people who have worked there, and I’m told a consultation with them is starting next week, with redeployment being preferred to redundancy where possible.

I wish them all the best, and hope it works out.