Somerset Council has pledged to do all it can to support a Taunton theatre – despite cutting all funding to the venue by April 2025.

As part of its annual budget (which was approved in February), the council agreed to phase out its annual grant to the Brewhouse Theatre, cutting £13,000 in the current financial year and a further £119,000 in 2025/26.

Councillor David Fothergill used a recent full council meeting to air “widespread concerns” about the theatre’s future, arguing Somerset’s county town was in danger of falling behind Bridgwater and Yeovil regarding its cultural offering.

The council said it was in discussions with the charity managing the theatre and Taunton Town Council over securing the best possible future for the venue, with further upgrades being expected in the new year.

Mr Fothergill – who represents the Monkton and North Curry division, to the east of Taunton – raised the issue when the full council convened in Bridgwater on September 26.

He said: “There is widespread concern in the county town about the lack of support from this council for the Brewhouse Theatre – which is absolutely critical to the town in terms of arts and entertainment.

“Given the extensive support that has now been extended to Bridgwater Arts Centre and the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil, can you please confirm what future support is planned for the Brewhouse in Taunton?

“Can you also confirm that the future of the Theatre and its environs will be secured by a fully funded asset transfer to Taunton Town Council and give a target date for the transfer?”

Bridgwater Arts Centre is being upgraded using £700,000 from the government-funded Bridgwater town deal, along with nearly £67,000 from Bridgwater Town Council and nearly £22,500 from the arts centre’s own funds.

The revamp to the Castle Street venue is expected to begin later in the year after Somerset Council granted planning permission in May, with the town council’s local tendering process concluding at the end of August.

Somerset Council is currently working on a revised business case for its scaled-down upgrade of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil, which is expected to cost around £15m.

Around £10m of this budget will come from a ring-fenced grant provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), with £3.75m coming from Yeovil Town Council (who will run the venue once the regeneration work is finished) and the remaining £1.25m being sourced from ther grants or “funds in hand”, rather than additional borrowing.

A planned £1.2m upgrade to the Brewhouse was put on hold in 2019 as Somerset West and Taunton Council developed its proposals for regenerating the nearby Firepool site – with the now-adopted masterplan including the delivery of a multi-purpose venue.

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Such a venue was expected to cost around £25m (at 2021 prices) and would have been funded through the sale of residential properties built elsewhere within the site.

However, the residential elements of the Firepool site have stalled as a result of the ongoing phosphates crisis, with the council focusing instead on delivering the boulevard through the site and vital drainage improvements (both of which are funded by the government’s future high streets fund).

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, portfolio holder for communities, housing revenue account, culture, equalities and diversity, said the council was having regular discussions with the Brewhouse and Taunton Town Council regarding the building’s future.

She said: “When it comes to the Brewhouse, we have sadly had to cut their grant into this year’s budget, and it will stop in next year’s budget.

“However, that was a phased engagement with the Taunton Theatre Association (TTA), which is doing exceptionally well. They are doing great things to support the public.

“We are working with them as the landlord of the building and looking to support them through different channels.

“When it comes to what the future looks like, we are in discussions both with the TTA and the town council regarding the future of the lease and any transfer of the asset.

“We have not yet made any formal decisions, and we are in negotiations, but as they progress I am more than happy to update the council.”