Burnham-On-Sea Community Centre has announced plans for a major £100,000 accessibility upgrade, including the installation of a new lift that will allow visitors to reach all areas of the historic building with ease.
David Norton, Chair of Burnham-On-Sea Community Centre, told Burnham-On-Sea.com the lift is essential to ensure the building remains fully accessible and fit for modern community use. A fundraising appeal is now underway, with grant applications and local events planned to help meet the target.
He explained that the lift project forms part of a wider vision to update and future‑proof the building. As part of the changes, the kitchen will be relocated, and the growing Thomas History Archive — which has expanded from a single filing cabinet to four cupboards — will be moved upstairs to a bigger space.
“We’ve talked to the various groups to make sure they’re all happy,” David said. “The aim is to make the building accessible to everyone and sustainable for the future.”
Alongside the lift installation, the centre hopes to tackle a third phase of improvements: opening up two large rooms by removing a chimney wall and installing steel supports. An acoustic dividing wall would allow the rooms to be used separately or combined for larger events.
David said the change would give Burnham a much‑needed flexible venue, complementing existing spaces such as the Princess Theatre and local churches.
“We’ve had events where 60 or 70 people had to be split between two rooms. Opening it up would give us a much wider scope of doing things.”
To support the project, the centre is preparing a grant application to the National Lottery, aiming to submit in August. Previous lottery funding has helped with roof repairs, and the team hopes to secure a larger award this time — potentially between £50,000 and several million — depending on the scope of the bid.
Local fundraising will also play a key role. A special President’s Gala, named Ken’s Night in honour of the centre’s late president Ken Hindle, will be held on 28th August, the day after what would have been his birthday. The event will feature a three‑course meal, entertainment, a bar, and a raffle. Tickets will be available at the centre shortly.
David says the ultimate goal is to preserve the building’s Victorian character while ensuring it remains a vibrant, accessible, and practical space for decades to come.
“If benefactors really want to make a difference, this is a great opportunity to support us in upgrading the building for the whole community.”
