Beccles Public Hall

Beccles Public Hall & Theatre is a community hall in the very heart of Beccles almost entirely run by volunteers. 

In 1785 the Corporation of Beccles Fen decided that building a Public Room as an Assembly Room and a Playhouse would encourage people of independent means to move to the town.

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The architect of the Assembly Room was Thomas Fulcher, who was born in 1737 and died in 1803.

Like many architects of the period, he did not restrict himself to design.

He was also a surveyor, builder, carpenter and timber merchant, and he lived in Ipswich.

Within four years of completion, it was decided that a card room was also required, so at the cost of £105, they built a coach house on the ground floor and a card room above.

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The hall was used for a variety of purposes: as a Theatre, for Balls and Assemblies, the Portreeve’s Feast, as a dancing school, a place for the Masons to play cards, a tea room, as a temporary home for the Independent Church in 1812 while their chapel was being rebuilt, auctions, the gallery was used as the National School from 1822, a practice room for the Beccles juvenile band of musicians, as a library for the Library Institution, and as a place of worship while St Michael’s was being restored in 1858.

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