Arts Club and Theatre, Suffolk

In 2019 we set up a new company to buy a former social club in Framlingham, Suffolk, which had closed in late 2018. We were determined not to see this building converted into flats, and but to maintain a public life for it in the town.

Since we bought the club (on April Fools Day 2019), we have been working with the local community and developing a new vision for it. We had to move extremely quickly and managed to achieve Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent in September 2019. Building works commenced in December 2019.

The former club now houses a cafe, a youth club, meeting rooms, art studios and other creative workspace. The town council have also moved into an independent office in the building.

A second phase will involve work to the old theatre next door, which was most recently an antiques shop.

The project won the Diaphoros Prize in the 2021 Georgian Group Architectural Awards. It has also been given an East Suffolk Quality of Place Award.

More information can be found at www.10churchstreet.org and also at Instagram @exconclub