Council gives green light to St George’s Guildhall regeneration
It's hoped the regeneration is expected to inject £30.8 million into the local economy and create 117 new jobs
The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk has formally approved plans to begin work on one of the UK’s most significant cultural heritage regeneration projects – the transformation of St George’s Guildhall, the country’s oldest working theatre.
At a Full Council meeting on Thursday (17 July), councillors voted to proceed with the Guildhall and Creative Hub project, the flagship scheme of the King’s Lynn Town Deal.
The revitalised site is expected to become a vibrant centre for arts, performance, creativity, and community engagement – while honouring the site’s exceptional historical significance, including its tantalising connections to William Shakespeare.
St George’s Guildhall dates back to the late 14th century and is considered the UK’s oldest working theatre. Its wooden floor is the largest surviving expanse of 15th-century timber flooring in the country, and the site remains the only theatre that can credibly claim to have hosted William Shakespeare.
The project aims to breathe new life into the Guildhall and surrounding buildings and courtyards, creating welcoming, inspiring spaces for residents and visitors alike. The redeveloped site will host performances, exhibitions, events, and educational programmes year-round, as well as new food and drink venues and workspace for creative industries.
Over the next 15 years, the regeneration is expected to inject £30.8 million into the local economy and create 117 new jobs, with long-term benefits for the community, creative sector, and tourism.
It also aims to preserve rare medieval architectural features – including the largest surviving 15th-century timber floor in the UK and a scissor-braced ceiling dating back to 1401.
The project’s scope has expanded significantly over the past year. In addition to restoring the Guildhall, the plans now include safety and accessibility improvements to King Street (subject to planning approval), additional green public spaces, new office space, and a dedicated outdoor performance area. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with a multi-million-pound investment in environmental resilience.
Work is expected to begin this autumn, with the Guildhall set to reopen to the public in 2028.
The Council will earmark the funding needed to launch the main construction works and will continue to explore further national and international funding opportunities, adding to the £10.1 million already secured from the Government’s Town Deal.
Additional support is being provided by the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and the Shared Prosperity Fund, which will fund learning and engagement initiatives, bringing local residents – especially young people – into the heart of the project.
A recent grant for the roof restoration has also been secured from an external funder, with details to be announced shortly.
Councillor Simon Ring, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Business, said: “This final go-ahead is great news for King’s Lynn and the whole of Norfolk, because what St George’s will bring for our residents, young people, economy and creative scene are opportunities truly unique, inspiring and profound, that only the Guildhall can offer."
Zach Stanford, the project champion on King’s Lynn Neighbourhood Board, added: “We welcome the council’s continued commitment and support for the Board’s highest priority project in the Town Deal and the benefits it will unlock for our residents, creative and aspiring entrepreneurs and the local economy through strategically important investment in what will be a rejuvenated cultural quarter for King’s Lynn."
Although the site is currently closed for major works, the Guildhall’s medieval timber floor is open to the public until 31 July, offering a rare opportunity to view this remarkable piece of English history before it is covered for preservation.