Inside Salisbury: Official confirmation of chosen venue operator
The worst-kept secret in Salisbury is officially confirmed
By Annette J Beveridge
In what was probably the worst kept secret - details of City Hall’s new operators have now been officially announced with a 25-year lease signed.
This secures the future of the much-loved entertainment venue for the foreseeable future.
The new operators (MECA) already have a wealth of experience having run Swindon’s entertainment sector for almost 100 years. The addition of City Hall to the group ensures both venues are in a position to bring bigger and better acts to the area.
The management of MECA, led by Justin Britchford, has confirmed the Salisbury venue will continue to be called City Hall.
He said: “We are delighted to have been given this opportunity and cannot wait to get started. Wiltshire Council has worked tirelessly with us to make sure the venue will be a roaring success.”
The council is currently carrying out repairs and maintenance. This is to ensure the external fabric of the building is in the best condition possible. The new operators will carry out work to improve the overall customer experience at the venue. It has been planned that the work will run concurrently with Salisbury City Council.
The council has carried out thorough due diligence to reach this stage with a market engagement process, then, speaking to potential third-party providers it was decided that the preferred arrangement would be to offer the venue on a long-term lease. The council also worked with Savills and following additional due diligence, the team at MECA was identified as the preferred operator.
In the past, City Hall has hosted household names such as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, and in recent years, was used as a COVID-19 mass vaccination centre.
Justin Britchford added: “We have some great plans for the venue and have listened to people’s views on what they have missed the most while it has been closed. Support us by liking our Facebook page, signing up for our newsletter but most of all, by buying tickets for the events.
“We are working closely with local people to tap into their wealth of knowledge about City Hall and the surrounding area and have recruited some local managers to run the venue that has years of experience in similar venues. We look forward to welcoming you all to City Hall in the very near future.”
Wiltshire Council Corporate Director for Place, Parvis Khansari, said: “We are delighted that we have finalised an arrangement and that City Hall will reopen soon.
“We want City Hall to have the best chance of long-term success. Justin and his team have the passion, experience and expertise to ensure City Hall will retain its proud standing in the community and complement all the great things the city has to offer.
“Today marks the start of a new era for City Hall and when it re-opens its doors, I’m sure the city and wider area will come out and support it once again.”
