On Saturday 24th November the Shire Hall in Chelmsford will open its doors to the public for one day. The doors will open at 12.30pm on Saturday and remain open until 4pm. The open day is timed to coincide with the Chelmsford Christmas Lights Switch On, so it is likely to be busy.
The Shire Hall is an 18th century Grade 2 listed building. The open day forms a part of a 3 month consultation into how the Shire Hall will be run in the future.
This is follows discussions between the Mayor of Chelmsford and Dick Madden, the county and city councillor about how the Shire Hall can be used more effectively and fairly.
Shire Hall sits at the centre of Chelmsford City and is one of its finest buildings. The grand Georgian venue does currently act as a wedding venue which is perfect for those who marry at Chelmsford Cathedral, which is next door (the spire can be seen in the photo). The County Room can seat 320 people and Shire Hall is a popular conference centre. However, now that Chelmsford is a City it may be time to open it up as a tourist centre too.
It could become a great asset to the city centre and be a tourist focal point. hopefully we will be able to report on a positive outcome of the consultation in a few months time.
