Cheltenham Pittville Pump Room ballroom temporarily closed for repairs

The Pittville Pump Room ballroom has been closed with immediate effect

The ballroom of a Grade I listed building has been closed with immediate effect for essential maintenance work.

The Pittville Pump Room in Cheltenham is temporarily closed after routine checks confirmed the need for urgent remedial work.

Cheltenham Borough Council said the remedial work relates to plasterwork on the ceiling.

The Heritage Cafe and upper floors will remain open, and it is hoped the ballroom will reopen before Christmas.

Laurie Bell, chief executive of The Cheltenham Trust, which manages the pump room on behalf of the council, says no events have been cancelled.

"All the events that were due to take place outside the Pump Room, including the annual Christmas lights switch on, will still go ahead as normal," said Ms Bell.

"Whilst the timing for us is not ideal, we cannot take any risk to anyone's health and safety.

"We're doing everything we can to relocate or reschedule events. No cancellations have been made," she added.

'It's an iconic building'

In a statement, a spokesperson from Cheltenham Borough Council said: "The unavoidable decision to close the ballroom to undertake remedial work has been made so the building can be preserved for enjoyment by future generations."

Any repairs have to meet the standards set by Historic England, therefore the council and the Trust are currently unable to give a specific date for reopening.

"It's an iconic building, it needs a lot of maintenance and a lot of work and consequently it has to have regular maintenance checks to ensure that it is fit for purpose for using as an event venue," said Ms Bell.

The building was built in 1826. It is currently undergoing work to restore its historic 200-year-old steps, which has been commissioned by Cheltenham Borough Council and the Friends of Pittville.

Two original plinths are being refurbished and local stone is being laid to improve and define the historic path down the central lawn.

"The building now welcomes more visitors each year than it has at any point in recent history," the statement continued.

"We are committed to getting the ballroom reopened as soon as possible and will keep people informed about the progress of this vital work to protect the Pump Room's future.''

Anyone unsure about the status of a booking should contact The Cheltenham Trust directly.

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