Cheltenham Town Hall
Cheltenham Town Hall is an early-20th century assembly rooms in Cheltenham, England. Unlike most town halls, it is a public venue and not the seat of the borough council, which is housed in the nearby municipal offices.
The town hall was built in 1902–03, in order to provide a venue for social events, replacing the old Assembly Rooms in High Street which had been demolished to build a bank.
The site chosen was part of Imperial Square. The building was designed by Gloucester architect Frederick William Waller and built by the Cheltenham firm of Collins and Godfrey. The total cost of the building, including internal decoration, fixtures and fittings, was around £45,000. It was formally opened on 5 December 1903 by Sir Michael Hicks Beach MP, a former Chancellor of the Exchequer, whose family had long-standing connections with Cheltenham.
The main hall, with Corinthian columns and coved ceiling, measures 92 by 52 feet (28 m × 16 m) and is 53 feet (16 m) high, with a capacity of 1,000 people. There are other smaller rooms, and to the left of the entrance hall, the Central Spa dispenses the waters from all the pump rooms of Cheltenham Spa. The octagonal counter and urns, which are of Doulton ware, are still in use.
In 1916, two plaster-cast statues of Edward VII and George V in coronation robes, made by Messrs R. L. Boulton & Sons of Cheltenham, were placed in alcoves on either side of the main stage. One was a gift from Mr. T. E. Whittaker and the other a gift from Messrs. Boulton themselves. The Town Hall organ was also a gift, from Mr and Mrs Edward J. Burrow, and was installed in 1928.
When resident with the Royal Corps of Signals at the Moray House Hotel (now the Hotel du Vin) from 1943, Sir Norman Wisdom performed at the hall in Army charity concerts, after one of which actor Rex Harrison came backstage and urged him to turn professional.[1]
The Town Hall is now used for concerts, banquets, meetings, dances, balls, exhibitions, conferences and as one of the major homes of Cheltenham Festivals. Cheltenham Town Hall is now part of The Cheltenham Trust, a charity which also manages the Pittville Pump Room, The Wilson (Cheltenham) Art Gallery & Museum, the Prince of Wales Stadium and Leisure @ Cheltenham- plus the town's Tourist Information Centre. In March 2017 plans were announced to refurbish the building. [2]
References
- ↑ Plaque marks comic's time in forces BBC News – 6 September 2003
- ↑ "Competition: Cheltenham Town Hall".