The Public Hall Refurbishment

Phase 1 of the Gosforth Public Hall refurbishment programme is well underway and in March 2026 the Hall was awarded £500,000 by the Mid-Copeland GDF Community Partnership towards the cost of the Phase 2 refurbishment. This represents just under 90% of the funds needed. The Hall Committee and user groups are working hard to gain the additional funding required for the full refurbishment but this substantial contribution allows  Phase 2 to begin.

When will the Phase 2 work start and how long will it last?

We don’t have a finalised work schedule just yet and we are working with Roland Hill to do this. Timings will be shared as soon as possible. For now the Hall remains open. The Library, new Meeting Room and Supper Room will open in the near future.

GADS Productions during the refurbishment

During the refurbishment work we are trying to put on as much as possible with the limited facilities. The play “Two” was staged very successfully in October 2025 using the Main Hall only but the customary pantomime in January was not possible. Our next planned show will be a Youth Theatre Group performance of “The Phantom and the Phoenix” by Geoff Bamber. The show on Friday 27 March will be open to the public and free of charge to attend although there will be a bucket for donations afterwards if you enjoyed it. After that, there will be a “21st century showcase” in May 2026 featuring songs from modern musicals. This will be directed by Tosh McGregor. Expect glitz, glamour, and jazz hands! We expect this to be held in the Main Hall but are designing this show so that it can be relocated to another venue if necessary. We are also organising other ad hoc gatherings to keep members engaged – our Halloween Party in October and our Drama and Improvisation evening in January.

Youth Theatre Group

The weekly Youth Theatre Group will return after the Easter break on Tuesday 21 April and we will keep them going for as long as we can. When Phase 1 work is complete, we may be able to relocate to the Supper Room while Phase 2 work continues.

Summer Youth Workshop

We don’t expect the Main Hall to be available for this event in August so we have secured an alternative location – Gosforth Primary School have kindly agreed to us using their Hall for the week of  17 to 22 August. More details of how to sign up will appear nearer the time.

Plays for Pleasure

P4P usually only runs between shows to keep our active members engaged. So the refurbishment work provides an ideal opportunity for those avid play readers. Moreover, readings are held in the Function Room at the Kellbank so are unaffected by the ongoing work. Dates and times will appear here, on our Socials and in the Seatallen Benefice Magazine. For now, we are busy rehearsing for the 12st Century Showcase, so P4P is on hold for a while.

Parking at the Hall

Parking at the Hall is very limited, apart from a load / unload area for short term use. The construction contractors will need most of the current car parking areas for their construction compounds although they have created safe access walkways to 3 of the 4 doorways, including the disabled access door at the rear of the building. Please drop off near the hairdressers if necessary and park in the free public car park across the road.

Where can I find out more information about GADS?

With the current uncertainties, the entire GADS programme is subject to change and you can keep up to date here on the website or by following us on Facebook.