The long-awaited £15 million regeneration of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil has faced yet another delay, as Somerset Council officers revealed that the crucial outline business case has still not been submitted to the government.
Originally, the project aimed for a £30 million transformation of the venue, which was temporarily closed in April 2023. However, escalating inflation and interest rates forced the council to scale back those ambitions in October 2023. The revised £15 million plan was set to have the theatre reopened in time for the 2026 pantomime season.
Despite earlier assurances in March that the outline business case would be delivered to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by spring 2025, Andrew Pulsford, Somerset Council’s project and change manager, confirmed that this submission has yet to take place. This setback could add several more months to the overall timeline for construction and reopening.
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In a presentation to the council’s communities scrutiny committee on August 7, Pulsford shared updates on progress, including approval of the scaled-down design. The project board endorsed the concept on June 4, confirming features such as the capability to fly scenery in the refurbished theatre. Both Somerset Council and Yeovil Town Council have secured funding for ongoing design phases.
Of the £15 million budget, £10 million is provided by a ring-fenced DCMS grant secured back in March 2021. Yeovil Town Council will contribute £3.75 million, with remaining funds coming from local housing development contributions and community fundraising efforts.
To date, Somerset Council has spent £473,000 on the project. Meanwhile, maintaining the closed venue costs roughly £140,000 annually to keep it in good condition while work stalls. The next necessary steps involve completing detailed design stages estimated to cost around £1.7 million, funded jointly by the two councils.
Once construction begins, the government grant funding will be officially released. Pulsford noted ongoing discussions around funding agreements and asset transfer as part of wider devolution efforts. The next phase will involve more detailed design development and public consultation, expected to be led by Yeovil Town Council in August.
Following public feedback, the outline business case will be compiled and submitted to DCMS in autumn 2025. A new planning application will also be required, though no timetable for this or the venue’s reopening has been confirmed.
As it stands, the Octagon Theatre—closed since April 2023—faces a prolonged wait before its doors can welcome audiences again, with funding, design, and bureaucracy still hurdles to overcome.