As the owners of the Winter Gardens, Weston College wants to provide clarity and reassurance to the community during this transitional period.
As a result of having to take back management of the building, Weston College will now be leading in event management.
The previous operator has cancelled several pre-booked events. Weston College understands the frustration this may have caused and is actively supporting affected groups – helping them find alternative venues or make provisional bookings for when the Winter Gardens reopens.
In the short term, the venue will be closed for essential refurbishment work and transferring licenses. Once these are complete, the Winter Gardens will reopen under the new management of Inspirational Events and Investments Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Weston College.
Taking back the building is a complex process, and Weston College sincerely appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding. To help support the community, Weston College will endeavour to honour existing community events where possible during May, June and July. Those with provisional bookings during this period will receive an update this week. For events from August onward, Weston College will be in touch with a new booking and venue hire form, as full details were not provided by the previous operator. Once the completed forms are returned, Weston College will review and confirm bookings as quickly as possible.
Once we move past this operator transfer, this new chapter will bring a fresh focus on quality, accessibility, and community engagements.
Our phased reopening plan includes:
Phase 1 – Early May: Eileen and her team will welcome customers back to the much-loved and newly decorated Green House Café.
Phase 2 – June 7th: A Weston College Community event will mark the reopening of the Ballroom and will also roll out to the Italian Gardens, complete with live music, performances, interactive experiences, and fantastic food. This will also see the completion of refurbished kitchens that will support future events and community use. The Community are invited to join us for this day of celebration.
Phase 3 – Plans are underway to rebrand and reopen the restaurant on the seafront, which is also part of the Pavilion, bringing new job opportunities and dining experiences with stunning sea views.
The College have taken these steps to secure the long-term future of this important local landmark. By bringing the venue into direct management, Weston College is committed to:
- Supporting local community groups with affordable, accessible options.
- Treating the Winter Gardens as a community asset while ensuring a sound commercial footing for a sustainable future.
- Reinvesting in the building’s upkeep to ensure it remains a vibrant, welcoming space for all.
- Creating a Community Panel to ensure local voices help shape the future of the venue.
- Creating high-quality work experience opportunities for our students.
- Work alongside other local venues to ensure a broad range of activities are available within Weston-super-Mare.
We remain deeply committed to serving the town and fostering community connections, and we are grateful for the support the community has shown us so far. For any enquiries or further information, please contact us at wintergardens@weston.ac.uk.