The Town Hall can only be reached by a long flight of stairs – 24 steps in total. That means there are many people in our community who, for all sorts of reasons, can’t come to see films, theatre, music or comedy. This is something we need to address.

We have been in touch with Somerset Stairlifts in Wellington. They can supply and install a refurbished stairflit for £4,500. That works out at just under £200 per step.

The stairlift will run up the lefthand side of the stairs, giving the passenger an unbroken journey from top to bottom.

To pay for the stairlift we are launching a crowdfunder – seeking donations from local residents and businesses to cover the cost.

Click the donate button below to go to our page on the Crowdfunder website where you can securely make a donation.

Progress towards our target will be displayed in the Town Hall as we paint our way up the steps – a sort of Blue Peter thermometer (if that means anything to you!). You’ll also be able to see progress on our Crowdfunder webpage.

In recognition of all the donations received, every donor’s name will be displayed on the wall by the stairlift. For large donations there are other rewards – see our Crowdfunder webpage for details.

Thank you very much if you do decide to donate. It means a huge amount to us, and it will mean even more to those people who will be able to access the Town Hall despite their limited mobility.

Why a stairlift and not a lift or a lift-platform?

Ideally we would install a lift but our lease does not include any areas on the ground floor so it is impossible, at least for now. One day we might have some ground floor space at which point a lift will definitely be on our shopping list.

A lift platform is a type of stairlift which can take a wheelchair. That obviously makes access much more convenient for wheelchair users. However, the cost would be substantially more (over £10,000) and would probably require building modifications at the bottom of the stairs. That would all take more time to secure, and we’d like to get on with this as quickly as we can.

When will the stairlift be installed?

We have already secured funding from the Town Council to pay for repairs to the stairwell and are planning to appoint an artist to work with local people to design murals for the walls. Once that is completed we can hopefully install the stairlift in the spring 2027.

Is there a disabled toilet at the top of the stairs?

Not yet, but we’re working on it. We have applied for listed building consent to make alterations to the rooms behind the hall and the Coop (our landlord) is due to connect us to a water supply. If all goes to plan there will be an accessible toilet by the time the stairlift is installed.

What happens if you don’t reach the funding target?

Our target is to raise the full amount by the end of 2026. If we don’t achieve the target by then we will hold the funds raised in a dedicated pot and seek the remaining amount by applying for grants – but it will obviously take a bit longer.

What fees do you have to pay?

We are using the Crowdfunder platform to manage the donations. They make a small charge which, depending upon the amount raised and the number of people donating, is likely to be about £150.