SOMERSET Council has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil after councillors approved a new cultural strategy for the county.

The council announced in October 2023 that it would be putting its £30m revamp of the Octagon Theatre on hold to reassess the business case in light of high inflation and interest rates.

The theatre has been closed since April 2023, with the council voting as part of its annual budget to keep the building shut until a new business case could be agreed.

The council is now pursuing a scaled-down redevelopment costing £15m – with the running of the building passing to Yeovil Town Council once it reopens in time for the 2026 pantomime season.

This commitment has been reaffirmed within the council’s new cultural strategy for the next ten years, which was approved by its executive committee in Taunton on August 5.

The strategy, among other aspirations, seeks to “ensure that culture is embedded into regeneration and major special projects, and that links are made with public art, place-making and improvements to the public realm”.

To the end, the Octagon Theatre is regarded as a “key priority” for the next decade, which will “deliver a flagship venue for arts and culture services in Somerset”.

How the Octagon Theatre currently looks.How the Octagon Theatre currently looks. (Image: Daniel Mumby)

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, portfolio holder for communities, housing and culture, said this was “a pivotal moment” for Somerset as a cultural destination.

She said: “For over a decade, I think that culture is taken a back seat to many things that have happened.

“By bringing this forward today, we’re marking a new era and building on the journey that we’ve created.

“This could have been something that we have set aside, saying that all we were going to focus on is the financial emergency and business as usual.

“This strategy demonstrates that we want be more than just about the finances. We want to enrich our county, and by doing it through culture we will leave a lasting legacy for people’s lives.”

Councillor Ros Wyke, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, added: “Over ten years ago, there were three councils in the whole country who withdraw all funding for culture and the arts.

“I unfortunately lived in two of them – first it was Somerset County Council, then it was Mendip District Council.

“I’m delighted that we’re now in a position to have a very robust, flexible cultural strategy which is very realistic given our financial position.”

The council has not confirmed when the revised business case for the Octagon Theatre will come before the full council for final approval.