The Priory Centre Refurbishment
The Priory Centre is to undergo a full refurbishment from August 2024 to improve its offerings as an entertainment venue and community space. The Priory Centre closed in August 2024 and expects to open late 2026.
The development of the Priory Centre is part of a larger investment in St Neots which sees £15 million from a range of sources, including £3.7 million from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities’ (DLUHC) Future High Streets Fund, to improve the look and feel of the town centre.
Executive Councillor for Job, Economy and Housing, Cllr Sam Wakeford, said: “The Priory Centre is a cherished space for our community, and we want to ensure that any enhancements made reflect the preferences and priorities of those who use it. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for residents to understand the proposed plans and to actively contribute to shaping the future of this vital community asset.”
A cherished space for our community
Former Mayor of St Neots, Cllr Rob Simonis, said: “The Town and District Councils have been working closely on the future purpose of the Priory Centre and how the building can be adapted to best serve the town. We have worked with local groups, hirers and industry professionals to set out an exciting vision but now need the views and suggestions of the people who will be using the centre, our residents.”
London based architects, The AOC, have been tasked with giving our 40 year old building a new lease of life, and transforming it into a cultural landmark in St Neots, a destination for live music, comedy, and theatre.
The initial plans created by AOC were displayed to the public in December 2023 in three open sessions giving the people of St Neots, including our valued customers, a chance to express their views on the project and talk with the architects involved.
You can view the initial proposals below.
The Next Steps
All the feedback from the public sessions, group meetings with customers, and research have gone into producing the final plans which will benefit the local community and increase the cultural status of St Neots.
Below you can see some renderings that were created throughout the process. Please note that these renderings are not intended as accurate models of the finished product.
We are excited with what is in store for The Priory Centre, and can’t wait to come back with a bang!
During the Refurb
Although the Priory Centre will be closed, we will still be operating The Eatons Centre and our new venue, the Priory Centre at New Street throughout the refurbishment. The Eatons is a purpose built community centre in Eaton Socon which boasts a large Main Hall, and two meeting rooms which can be combined into one large meeting room. The Priory Centre at New Street is our new cafe with one small hall and one meeting room.