Venues for Hire & Markets

Please find more information: Bookings

There are several venues for hire which may be suitable for a range of meetings and activities. To view any of the Town Council’s venues or to make a booking please contact the Bookings Receptionist at the Town Council on 01258 454500 during office hours Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Email: bookings@blandfordforum-tc.gov.uk

To find out more about each venue please see the information below:

The Corn Exchange, Shambles, Town Hall and Council Chamber

For these rooms, please visit: https://blandfordforum-tc.gov.uk/corn-exchange/bookings

The Cemetery Chapel

What3Words:///crumble.boots.openly

Set within the grounds of Blandford Cemetery, the recently refurbished Cemetery Chapel provides a perfect venue for small funeral services, talks or meetings.

The Cemetery Chapel can hold up to 48 people seated on centre facing pews.  Please note that this venue currently does not have any toilet facilities.

Fees and Charges 2025/2026

An additional charge of £28.75 per hour or part thereof for bookings before 8am and after 10.00pm (applicable to all Town Council venues).

All prices are exclusive of VAT. Proof of hirers Public Liability Insurance of £1,000,000 minimum is required. Otherwise the Town Council will arrange liability cover at a cost of 11.0% of the hire charges + Insurance Premium Tax + VAT.

Please click here to read the history of the chapel.

Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion

Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, The Tabernacle, Blandford Forum, Dorset. DT11 7GQ.

What3Words:///indoors.dairies.surnames

Situated within Woodhouse Public Gardens next to the main Post Office in the centre of the town, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion has been extended to introduce two accessible toilets, a storage cupboard for hirers and a larger kitchen.

The approved design for the extension was not what the Town Council originally applied for, which was an extension flush to the existing building with a matching roof. The Planning Authority required some form of distinction ‘to define the existing from the proposed and avoid exacerbating the already long narrow linear building form’, hence why the extension is set back from the existing building and a sinusoidal corrugated metal roofing sheet has been employed instead of tiles. The internal design was drawn up based on responses to a consultation carried out with regular hirers on how the building could be improved.

The Town Council has funded the majority of improvements but would especially like to thank the National Lottery’s Awards for All Fund for the grant of £10,000, helping to make this project possible.

Thanks to Greendale Construction Ltd and Simon Morgan MCIAT of Forum-based Morgan Design Studio LTD for their work throughout the project. Greendale Construction Ltd is based in Poole and have used local contractors for the project, which included:
Jason Ive Building and Carpentry
DC Electrical
Sam Christopher Building
Gary Manson Heating & Plumbing Engineers

The redundant windows have been claimed by a resident for inclusion in a learning resource centre/library being built in Zambia, as part of the charity ‘Future Pillars Zambia’, which is fantastic to see them being reused instead of disposing them.

The pavilion has been popular with community groups, local clubs and individuals over the years and is used for everything from poetry, painting and crafts to formal training, coffee mornings, birthday parties and christenings.  Set on one level a ramp is provided for disabled access, the Pavilion will accommodate 60 standing, 40 close seated and approximately 35 with tables. There is a Pay and Display parking within easy walking distance. Wifi availability.

Morning Session 8.00am to 1.00pm
Afternoon Session 1.30pm to 5.30pm
Evening Session 6.00pm to 10.00pm

Fees and Charges 2025/2026

An additional charge of £28.75 per hour or part thereof for bookings before 8am and after 10.00pm (applicable to all Town Council venues).

All prices are exclusive of VAT. Proof of hirers Public Liability Insurance of £1,000,000 minimum is required. Otherwise the Town Council will arrange liability cover at a cost of 11.0% of the hire charges + Insurance Premium Tax + VAT

Discounts

Discount for Regular users (minimum of 10 pre-booked sessions) – 20%.

Markets