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The Town Hall was designed in the Edwardian Baroque style by Gloucester architect Frederick William Waller. It was built in 1902-3 to accommodate the town's need for another venue for its many balls and concerts, as the Assembly Rooms in the High Street which had previously acted as the town's central focus had been demolished in 1900. The bricks used to build the town hall were locally produced by Cheltenham's Battledown Brick and Terra Cotta Company owned by the Webb brothers. The total cost of the building, including internal decoration, fixtures and fittings, was around £45,000.
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| Cheltenham Town Hall |
In 1906 The Central Spa opened in the lobby of the Town Hall, which visitors can taste even today. The
octagonal counter, from behind which a maid in a frilled apron and cap would have served the waters, and urns for dispensing
the spa-waters still remain.
The main auditorium of the Town Hall with seating for around 1000 people distinguished by its Corinthian style columns and coved ceiling contains on either side of the stage large plaster cast statues of Edward VII and George V by local sculptor firm Boultons is a major venue for events during the Cheltenham Music Festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts, Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Cheltenham Folk Festival, as well as for regular concerts, recitals, fairs and comedy performances.
To the rear of the Town Hall used to be The Winter Gardens, built in 1878 they were Cheltenham's own Crystal Palace. Built to the design of J. T. Darby, it was a venue for a wide variety of events between 1878-1940, ranging from concerts, dances, theatre performances to auctions, circuses and roller-skating. Although demolished in the early years of the Second World War, you can still see the remains of the corner tower behind the open bar at the back of the Town Hall.
The layout of the paths in the Imperial Gardens which are situated to the rear of the Town Hall indicates the position of the Winter Garden's entrances.
The box office at the Town Hall is open Mon-Sat 9.30am - 5.30pm (or until the beginning of the evening performance),
Sundays and Bank holidays for 30 minutes before the performance. You can also book by phone on 01242 227979 Monday - Friday 10am-8pm,
Saturday 9.30am-5.30pm. You can also book tickets by post to the Town Hall with your booking details and a cheque made payable to Cheltenham Borough Council. For an extra £1 your tickets will be posted to you, otherwise enclose an SAE or call in to collect them. Tickets can be also booked via email at boxoffice@cheltenham.gov.uk or online at the Town Hall website where a £1.50 transaction fee is applicable.
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