Cabinet signs off outline for cultural and community hub
The long-discussed transformation of Penrith Town Hall has cleared a key hurdle, after Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet agreed an outline business case to create a multi-purpose cultural and community hub in the landmark building. The authority will now prepare a full business case for consideration in December, with a formal consultation to begin on proposals to relocate the Penrith and Eden Museum into the refurbished site.
According to the council, the aim is to bring the Grade II-style civic building back into wider community use, positioning it as a place that supports creative activity, learning and local enterprise. The plan follows extensive engagement with local groups and organisations over how the building could complement the existing cultural offer across Eden.
“Penrith Town Hall is a beautiful building with so much to offer the community. We have a wonderful opportunity to create something with real and lasting benefits. We have spent considerable time listening to groups and organisations tell us their views and aspirations for it to be a vibrant, community-focused facility that complements and enhances the wider cultural offer across Eden. We see the hub as an inclusive and inspiring space for people of all ages to be supported in their creative development and pursuits, and where self-expression is encouraged.”
The outline proposes a suite of spaces designed for flexibility, community use and skills development, alongside opportunities for income generation to support the venue’s operation over time.
What the outline business case includes
- A flexible 100–120 seat performance and event space.
- Adaptable creative and community rooms for workshops and activities.
- Dedicated performance, rehearsal and education space for the performing arts and community groups.
- Youth facilities and creative digital space.
- A café/bar with a commercial kitchen, intended to operate as a community kitchen.
- Digital skills and innovation areas.
- Rentable offices and meeting rooms to support local organisations and generate income.
In parallel, the council will start a statutory process to seek views on moving the museum service into the redeveloped town hall. Any change would be subject to feedback through that consultation and the final business case.
Next steps and decision points
Cabinet’s decision is an enabling step rather than a final sign-off. Officers will develop the full business case during the current financial year, drawing together design work, delivery options and costs, before returning to Cabinet for a decision in December. The council says the intention is to create an asset that is "well and widely used" and that the whole town can take pride in.
| Stage | Decision | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Outline business case | Approved by Cabinet | Now |
| Consultation on museum move | To commence | Before full business case |
| Full business case | To be considered by Cabinet | December (this financial year) |
Context: town centre use and cultural provision
While detailed design, delivery and funding arrangements are to be finalised, the council’s stated intent is to knit the town hall’s future uses into Penrith’s broader cultural and educational landscape. The mix of performance, learning and enterprise spaces set out in the outline aims to support local groups, young people and creative businesses, while also drawing more people into the town centre outside traditional office hours.
Facilities such as digital skills and innovation areas, and space that can flex between rehearsal, teaching and public events, are intended to be shared by multiple users. The inclusion of a community kitchen model linked to a café/bar reflects a push to combine social value with a sustainable operating approach. Meanwhile, creating rentable offices and meeting rooms could serve the voluntary sector and small enterprises that need cost-effective workspace.
Have your say
Residents and organisations will have a chance to comment when the formal consultation on relocating the Penrith and Eden Museum opens. The council has not announced the consultation timetable or format in this update, but says it will take place ahead of the full business case going to Cabinet. Feedback will inform the final proposals for the town hall’s layout and uses.
The project’s supporters inside the council frame the revamp as a long-term investment in inclusive cultural infrastructure for Eden, with the potential to give Penrith a centrally located, shared space for creativity, learning and community events. The critical test will come later this year, when the full case — and the responses from the consultation — are placed before Cabinet for a final decision.
