Salisbury City Hall to be put up for lease by council

City Hall has been closed since January 2023, when a Covid vaccination programme ended

A council-owned venue, which closed to audiences in 2020, is being offered to organisations on a long term lease.

Salisbury's City Hall shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was used as a vaccination centre until last year.

Wiltshire Council is now looking for another organisation to reopen it as an entertainment venue.

Council leader Richard Clewer, said the authority was "committed" to reopening the venue and is "not looking" to sell it or change it.

Salisbury's City Hall was south Wiltshire's largest concert venue. Over the years, it hosted acts like The Beatles and David Bowie.

The council will retain the overall ownership of the venue

In a statement, the council said was at an "advanced stage" of hiring a specialist company to market the venue on its behalf.

The authority, added that "potential operators" would sign up to a 25-year lease with the stipulation the venue remains as an entertainment venue.

The council will retain the overall ownership of the venue.

Mr Clewer, said the council's "sole focus" was to secure an appropriate external operator to reopen and manage the venue on its behalf.

"We see the City Hall as an integral part of Salisbury's future," he said.

"I reiterate that we are not looking to sell the venue or change the site for another purpose. We remain committed to reopening it as an entertainment venue."