More concerts, events and a diversified offer
The Guildhall Trust, the charity responsible for the operation of the South’s leading Concert Hall, Portsmouth Guildhall, is delighted to announce a 25% increase in its audiences since 2018.
With a significant increase in the number of concerts being staged, the venue has worked hard to attract top name entertainment to the city as part of its programme, with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Paul Weller, Micky Flanagan, Manic Street Preachers, Richard Ashcroft, Emeli Sande, Yungblud, Lulu, Jamie T, The Pretenders and many more having performed in the 2,500 capacity main hall.
The development of more intimate performance spaces within the venue including The Lens Studio and The Box, have allowed for multiple events to take place simultaneously, increasing the number of people that can be accommodated and genres of entertainment on offer.
Going beyond being a receiving venue, The Guildhall Trust has also produced its own programme of events which has introduced different audiences to the venue. A Comic Con, Games Fest, Comedy Festival, Fiesta Party and Summer Concerts in Guildhall Square have all been part of the mix.
With a strong focus on customer service, the Guildhall is proud of its customer satisfaction scores and level of repeat custom.
The growth in audiences is particularly impressive given the backdrop of a global pandemic, funding cuts and ongoing cost of living crisis, with many in the sector reporting increasingly difficult trading conditions.
The Guildhall Trust has also diversified the venue’s operation to be a successful conferencing centre, with an additional 80,000 delegates attending over 400 conferences, meetings, dinners and parties in one of the Guildhall’s exquisite spaces spread over 4 floors of the historic building.
CEO of The Guildhall Trust, Andy Grays said, “It is great to reflect on the success of Portsmouth Guildhall! We have worked hard to diversify our business model and ensure we are using the venue to its full capacity so that we can be more resilient through difficult times. We are forever thankful to our customers who support their local venue and continue to buy tickets, and we strive to continue bringing the top artists to Portsmouth that people want to see! We know that a night out these days can be a considerable cost, so we endeavour to offer a rich and varied programme of entertainment that is accessible to all”.
As a not for profit organisation, proceeds from Portsmouth Guildhall are reinvested in preserving and developing the Grade II listed building and supporting the charitable Trust’s Get Involved programme for the community of workshops and activities for all ages, creative skills development initiatives and The BASE, a creative space for young people.
Photo by Scott Chalmers for Takedown Festival