Re-taking centre stage! Reviving Selsey Pavilion.

Selsey Pavilion Trust aims to restore and revive the Pavilion – making it into a vibrant live entertainment venue, cinema, and community hub for the whole area.

The Trust plan to put on a range of events and activities, catering for both the people of Selsey and tourists (Selsey is home to Seal Bay Resort, one of the largest holiday parks in Europe).

Selsey is severely lacking in spaces suitable for older people to meet and socialise. The Pavilion Trust plan to provide activities for older people and to partner with local community organisations that provide minibus shuttles to offer door-to-door drop offs.

Selsey also has a significant population of seasonal migrant workers. To help promote community cohesion, the Trust plan to put on regular screenings of eastern-European cinema and subtitled blockbusters.

The reopening of the Pavilion will also help rejuvenate the town centre through providing career opportunities and bringing the high street back to life. As one resident put it: “Given its location in the heart of Selsey, the Pavilion should also be at the heart of the town's cultural activities, with an important role in the social and economic life of the town.’

Prior to their Community Ownership Fund bid, Selsey Pavilion Trust sought and received advice and funding from various sources. The viability and project development work carried out in these early stages put them in an ideal position to apply for the Fund.

An initial Project Viability Grant was awarded through the Architectural Heritage Fund’s (AHF- an official support partner of the Community Ownership Fund) Transforming Places through Heritage programme in 2021. This helped the Trust to Carry out an independent valuation of the property, Develop concept designs, estimate costs for their plans and develop an outline business and funding plan.

In 2022, a further Project Development Grant from the AHF supported the Trust to prepare their application to the Community Ownership Fund. In particular, it helped to progress architectural designs, update cost estimates, fund building surveys and bring on board professional fundraising consultancy support.

The Trust also received support from their local M.P., Theatres Trust, Selsey Town Council and Chichester District Council.

Selsey Pavilion Trust has been awarded a Community Ownership Fund grant of £299,400. This includes a capital grant of £249,500 (which must be ‘matched’ £1 for £1) and a revenue grant of £49,900. The team have described the fund as a “lifeline” which has brought them one step closer to the dream of returning a significant local asset to centre stage for the Selsey community.

The revenue funding will help the Trust cover all costs incurred during the purchase process, surveys, and architectural planning for later phases.

The capital funding will cover 50% of the costs of purchasing the Pavilion. It will also contribute towards essential maintenance and repairs to ensure that the building is safe and secure.

Once these repairs have been carried out, the Trust plans to deliver their first season of cinema and live entertainment. The Trust believe that bringing the community in at this stage will help support and raise awareness for Phase Two of their project, which involves further redevelopment of the main hall, balcony and rear hall.

Selsey Pavilion Trust have already been awarded £35,000 from the local council, which will be put towards match-funding for the capital grant. To raise the rest of the match-funding, the Trust will be approaching major funders for support.

The Pavilion is seen as an important symbol of Selsey’s past and there is real hope that its restoration can breathe new life into the town. As one local resident put it: “This building is really iconic to Selsey. It is part of Selsey's history and should be preserved for future generations who will be able to enjoy it as I did as a child.’