“There is real joy felt by everyone at the Town Hall events, it’s tangible, you can feel the happiness, there’s a magic that happens because of the space.” Louise

“I want to thank you for all you’re doing! It’s such a fantastic space & exciting project.” Sue

After lying empty for almost 60 years, Wiveliscombe Town Hall reopened to the public in October 2023.

Access: Up a long flight of stairs. We hope to fit a chair lift in 2026.

Toilets: Currently we have no water supply. The Bear kindly allow our audiences to use their toilets. There are also public toilets on North St opposite the car park.

Heating: Currently there is no heating so wear something suitable / bring a rug.

Refreshments: We usually have a range available before and after performances and, when there is one, during the interval.

Bringing the Town Hall back to life

From the late twentieth century onwards the abandonment of the Town Hall, boarded up with a ‘To Let’ sign above, cast an impression of decay over the centre of Wiveliscombe. Local farmer and Taunton Deane District Councillor John Bone led the creation of the Wiveliscombe Town Hall Trust which was formed on 18 May 2005 with the purpose of bringing the premises back into public use for the benefit of the residents of Wiveliscombe and the surrounding area.

In 2007-08 the Architectural Heritage Fund and Somerset Rural Renaissance financed a feasibility study that identified potential uses and costs for restoring the building, estimated at £1.2m. Further funding from the Somerset Market Towns Regeneration Fund paid for project managers to advance the proposals. Negotiations for a lease of the Town Hall from the Coop started in 2008 and eventually resulted in the grant of a 125 year lease to the Trust from July 2015.

Once the lease was granted the feasibility work was refreshed and business planning progressed with the support of the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Foundation for Social Investment. There was intermittent use of the Town Hall for one-off events, public consultation exercises often conducted during the Ten Parishes Festival, and fundraising including sell-out theatre shows at Kingsmead School.

A small but significant step was the removal of the boards over the front windows in August 2019, revealing for the first time in many years the three original arched windows.

In 2021 the charity converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Funding from Somerset West and Taunton Council enabled works to begin to allow full public access. The switching on of the electricity supply was celebrated on 26 July 2023 with ‘The Big Turn On’.

Since reopening the Town Hall has been able to host a number of theatre, film, comedy and music performances. But remaining repairs, the lack of water, poor access and other constraints have meant that use was restricted.

In October 2025 Wiveliscombe Town Council awarded a grant of £42,000 towards the cost of repairs, connecting to a water supply, fitting a toilet and kitchen and installing a chair lift. These improvements will take place in 2026.

The Town Hall Trust is also in discussion with Somerset Council and the Town Council to take on management of the neighbouring community library.

Read about our longer term ambitions.

Grateful Thanks

• All Trustees past and present but especially John Bone, our founder
• Steve Eastick, Somerset Electrical & Property Services (electrical installation)
• Paul Thomas (fire security installation)
• John Blackmore Carpentry & Building (door and general repairs)
• Patrick Snow, DHD Structures (engineer)
• Kevin Heymer, Exe Fire Safety (fire risk assessment)
• Ian Morgan, Co-operative Group (Building Surveyor)
• Joe Woodley & Alan Bryant, Hartnell Taylor Cook (managing agents for the Coop)
• Zac Trump, Woodlouse Conservation (building works)
• Claire Fear & Venessa Ruhlig, Architectural Thread (design work)
• G&L Consultancy (asbestos removal)
• Adrian Woolaston (help with fire safety)
• Cllrs Dave Mansell and Mark Blaker (funding support)
• Carl Middleton, Neat Design (branding of The Shambles)
• Wiveliscombe Town Council (funding)
• Wiveliscombe Area Partnership
• John, Millie and the staff at The Bear, Wiveliscombe
• Architectural Heritage Fund (funding)
• Somerset West & Taunton Council (that was – funding)
• Anna Maxwell, C2Safety (principal designer)
• Kinny Chinangwa and colleagues, WECIL (access audit)
• Rodger Waite, Waite Associates (Quantity Surveyor)
• The manager and all the staff in Wiveliscombe Coop
• The people of Wiveliscombe and surrounding parishes (for believing in us)

An Alternative History: The Haunted Hall

Rumour had it that the Town Hall was haunted. By whom, or what, we don’t know although some say it may have been a once scorned lover. The haunting was the subject of much debate and speculation. Could it have been the reason for the Hall’s long abandonment? In an investigative film, science aficionados Mr Britton and Mr Moore explored the story of The Uncooperative Ghost!