“It’s always a case of moving with the times for the Assembly Hall,” says facilities manager Tim Cross. “We’ve got a great facility here in Melksham and we’re finding that more and more people are using the hall for celebrations, presentations, parties and to attend the variety of events we organise.”
In the four years Tim has been at the hall, there have been plenty of changes in the entertainment provision available and the variety of uses the hall accommodates.
“We’re busy almost every day of the month now. We have regular weekly and monthly bookings including dance classes, exercise classes, roller discos, clubs and society events. Those in turn are supplemented by the live music and comedy we offer.”
The hall has managed to continue offering this high volume of activity despite operating with a comparatively small team.
“We don’t have the luxury of having a team of dedicated staff for each department like a lot of our competitors,” Tim added. “We get by with everyone being very loyal and committed to making the Assembly Hall a destination venue for the area.
“The only additional member of staff we have added to the team in the last couple of years is an apprentice position.”
The current apprentice, Alex, says, “It’s given me an amazing opportunity to experience such a wide range of skills in the workplace. When they say, ‘no two days are the same’ that’s true about here. I’m very pleased to have had this opportunity.”
One of the other members of staff, Bruce, had plenty of prior knowledge of the building having organised events there in the past and was taken aback by the amount of bookings and events the Assembly Hall has. “I never realised how busy it was until I started here,” says Bruce. “There’s something going on nearly every day, it’s really positive going forward.”
This is echoed by the latest recruitment to the team, Kevin, who says, “I was attracted to working here because there seems to be lots going on and the future looks so positive. I can’t wait for some of the events we’ve got coming up.”
The Assembly Hall team are anticipating a busy festive season hosting a mix of Christmas shows, pantomimes and private bookings. It doesn’t slow down in the New Year with plenty of variety on offer ranging from an evening with Paul Gascoigne to a Pink Floyd tribute and the Powerhouse Gospel Choir.
For a full listing please go to; www.melksham assembly.co.uk
