Public Consultation on Designs for Reimagining Helston's Guildhall - Have your Say

The local community of Helston and the surrounding area are invited to attend the much-anticipated public consultation to see the concept drawings of how the Guildhall, Helston may be reimagined.

The aim is to make it a more attractive place to visit, hire and use now and for future generations of locals and visitors.

The event is open to the general public, local businesses, young people and community groups during the day and evening on Monday 27 November 2023, starting at 11:00am and finishing at 9:00pm.

There will be a warm welcome and a pop-up coffee stop serving free drinks throughout the day.

The timing of the event is to encourage as many people to attend as possible, including those who are working during the day and only free in the evening.

For generations, the Guildhall has been a central asset in the town and has great cultural significance and meaning in the town, as it is the starting point of the dances on Flora Day and has a rich heritage having been a market house, Law Courts, Assizes and more recently a popular wedding venue.

Currently the Guildhall has been rated as being in poor condition with a leaking roof and part of the top floor out of use due to structural issues caused by the ingress of water.

The building contains rotting timbers, damp throughout and asbestos and other materials that would not be used today. If nothing is done to safeguard and secure this Grade Two Star listed town asset, then it will fall further into decline and be at risk.

The building is also not disabled friendly and has poor accessibility. In addition, the public toilets at the rear of the building are old, out of date and are not disabled friendly.

The consultation will highlight the plans to enhance toilet provision within the Guildhall and nearby.

The key message from Helston Town Council is that they want to restore the Guildhall within its heritage context, celebrating its heritage and restoring the building and at the same time re-designing the internal configuration and reimagining the uses of each floor to increase its appeal to the local community and businesses to ensure it is used to its fullest potential in a progressive way.

The proposals and designs include creating co-working space at the basement level to encourage local businesses to take up space to collaborate with each other and this will bring more people into the town centre each day, and hopefully have a positive impact on the local economy.

The plans are for a ‘Workbox’ Helston like their successful counterparts in Penzance and Truro. An online survey of local small businesses is currently underway, and the public consultation will give those people a chance to come together over a working lunch discussion to explore their needs in more detail.

This debate will take place at 12:30-1:30pm and take the form of a focus group on the Workbox idea.

On hand throughout the day will be the Town Councillors, the Projects Officer and Town Clerk and the team of professionals who have been working with the Town Council including the architects and Workbox founder.

The Council want to hear thoughts, reactions and comments from those who attend to enable the designs to be amended accordingly to reflect that feedback. Following the consultation, the Town Council will be compiling a major funding application to bid for external funding to help make the concept a reality.

This is a major transformation project for the town and local economy, the Town Council is keen to enable everyone to have their say, so after the day there will be online copies of the drawings to give those who cannot attend the chance to comment also.

The Town Mayor, Cllr Miles Kenchington said;

“We hope that lots of people attend the public consultation day as we really want to make sure the Guildhall is reimagined in a way that local people, visitors and businesses want and need. Whatever we do now is the lasting legacy for future generations.”