Exciting updates on Guildhall expected in May – and work could start next year

Residents can expect an update on exciting plans for Lynn’s Guildhall theatre within the next two months.That is according to West Norfolk Council cabinet member Simon Ring, who told the authority’s full meeting on Thursday that new details are set to be released in May.In October last year, the St George’s Guildhall made national headlines after the discovery of the actual floorboards on which William Shakespeare is believed to have stood.

Archaeological work had been taking place at the site for the two months prior to that, which revealed the original floor hidden “in plain sight” beneath a 1960s and 1950s floors.The project team at the Guildhall has been working out a plan to incorporate this discovery into the major refurbishment currently being completed at the site. After being asked for an update on these plans by Cllr Pallavi Devulapalli, Cllr Ring described it as a “fiddly project” which could take a long time – and he expects some “bumps along the road”.However, he said there has been a significant amount of interest from potential funders, while £20million of recently announced Government cash for Lynn could also be put towards the project.Cllr Ring expects to release more details in May, and told the meeting that an official planning application for the project is expected to be submitted to the borough council in August.Construction could then start in the middle of 2025, he added, with an end date in the spring of 2027 touted. Cllr Ring admitted this has “shifted quite a bit”. “But it is a hugely difficult project to keep on track,” he said.“It is too important a project to get wrong. We have to get it right.“I hope that everyone will support everything that they are doing, and I really do look forward to showing everyone the plans as soon as they are available – hopefully in May.”