The success story of the Public Hall in Beccles continues with the recruitment of a general manager.

In 2011, there was a rallying call to the community for volunteers to come forward and help save the Public Hall which was originally built as Assembly Rooms and theatre in 1785.

Since then, the community-owned venue has been run by a team of volunteers who do everything from helping front of house to carrying out maintenance work.

The hall said in a statement: “It is envisaged that 2016 will see a new and exciting phase in the history of Beccles Public Hall - the directors are seeking someone with the appropriate skills and experience to move the hall forward so as to provide a bright long term future.

“The hall has become a thriving and versatile meeting place for people, as well as an important central entertainment facility and the hall directors believe that employing a general manager to work alongside them and the army of existing unpaid volunteers, is the natural and responsible way forward whilst maintaining the hall’s success.”

Audience numbers have grown considerably since early 2013, when a campaign began to promote a large number of diverse events ranging from films, dances, theatre and recently, a family pantomime which was launched at Christmas last year when 1,600 people came through the doors.

In recent years, renovation work has been taking place on the principal entertainment venue in the town.

The first phase of the £181,000 project involved stabilising the roof and restoring the outside of the building while work on the interior of the building has followed on.

The general manager position is being advertised in local papers, the Job Centre and the hall website from Thursday, January 14 and the closing date is February 1.

Have you got a story for Beccles? Email lynn.crombie@archant.co.uk or call 01502 712060.