Fringe Venues 2025 A-P

A Victorian Church with excellent acoustics and seating in pews for up to 80 people.

There is a raised plinth for performers.

The venue offers a calm and intimate atmosphere, suitable for acoustic music, choirs, spoken word and comedy.

Location: Bell St, SP7 8AR
Contact: Dr Sue Daddy
Email: drsuedaddy@hotmail.com
Telephone: 01747 853733

This small, intimate cafe is suitable for acoustic music, spoken word and comedy.

Maximum 4 performers, with an audience capacity of 24 seated.

Location: 58A High St, SP7 8AA
Contact: Glenn Harris
Email: tbm13@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone: 07802 412121

A High Street coffee shop with a great atmosphere (plus the coffee). It has a long interior with a number of selected performance areas.

The venue would suit acoustic bands (4 max) and will accommodate up to 30 seated plus a few standing.

With wide open doors in the summer, music inside may be carried out into the High Street thus extending your audience.

Location: 26 High St, SP7 8JG
Contact: Tarren Francis
Email: shaftesbury@coffee1.co.uk
Telephone: 01747 852914

This venue is a modern religious centre situated just outside the main town.

The Large Hall has a maximum capacity of 400.

The Foyer (middle picture) has a calm atmosphere and will take up to 120 people seated/standing. It would suit acoustic music and dance.

The fully equipped Meeting Room (bottom picture) can accommodate up to 80, mainly seated, and would suit acoustic music and dance.

Please check on the suitability of your performance with the venue.

Location: Christy’s Lane, SP7 8PH
Contact: Caroline Watkins
Email: admin@fathershouseshaftesbury.com
Telephone: 01747 854993
www.fathershouseshaftesbury.co.uk

A venue situated at the top of the well known Gold Hill, within Shaftesbury Museum. The modern semi circular room looks out onto the Museum garden. It has a quiet atmosphere and is often used for poetry/spoken word/comedy and acoustic music.

Primarily a lecture room with no stage, max 6 performers. Audience capacity 40 seated, 60 standing.

Location: 1-2 Gold Hill, SP7 8JW
Contact: Elaine Barratt
Email: goldhillgal@gmail.com
Telephone: 07999 364221
http://www.goldhillmuseum.org.uk/

Charges: £10 per performance

The Grosvenor Arms is a landmark hotel located in the centre of Shaftesbury. It has two separate event areas available.

The Assembly Room (middle picture) is situated upstairs and is a large spacious and elegant room with good acoustics, able to seat up to 60 people. Suitable for acoustic music, comedy, spoken word and small choirs.  They’ve even had a two person musical!   

The Courtyard (bottom picture) is on the ground floor and accessed through the main hotel entrance. It is open air and has a central ornate working fountain with walls on all four sides and excellent acoustics. This unique venue would suit choirs both large and small, acoustic bands from classical to jazz. There is seating and standing for up to 70 people.

Location: The Commons, SP7 8JA
Contact: Danielle Norris
Email: d.norris@grosvenorarms.co.uk
Telephone: 01747 850580
www.thegrosvenorarms.co.uk

The Half Moon is situated on the edge of town but always attracts large numbers of people for the Fringe. The building is a pub and restaurant occupying several rooms. The ‘music’ room has a slightly raised stage which can accommodate up to 6 performers, and seats around 60 people at tables and some standing.

There is a separate garden area with a number of picnic tables, which can accommodate a large audience of ~150 with plenty of room for standing. There is a marquee which can take up to 6 performers, suitable for acoustic bands and the like.

Location: Salisbury Road, SP7 8BS
Contact: Paddy Bennett
Email: halfmoon.nfpc@gmail.com
Phone: 01747 852456
https://halfmoonshaftesbury.co.uk/

The Heritage Suite is situated close to the town centre and has a large performance/dance area, ~25m x 7m. Audience capacity is up to 120, depending upon area required by performers.

This well maintained venue would suit comedy, bands from rock to jazz and offers a perfect venue for all forms of dance.

The venue also has a bar which will be available over the Fringe weekend.

Direct access from Angel Lane car park for performer’s equipment.

Location: 43 Bell Street, SP7 8AE
Contact: David Kerswell
Email: lynndavidk@btinternet.com
Telephone: 01747 858094

Robbo’s garage situated in Swans Yard, with room for up to 6 band members. Will probably be the most uniquely decorated venue at the Fringe!

Audience capacity ~50 standing outside in Swan’s yard

Location: Swans Yard, SP7 8JQ
Contact: Rob Neely
Email: robdorsetstore@gmail.com

A prominent Grade 2 listed 13th-16th century wooden beamed building situated in the High St.

The Nuns’ Passage is an unusual venue situated beneath the tea room, accessed down a few steps leading to a vaulted cellar (there is a fire escape at one end).

A pop up stage allows room for up to 4 performers at one time, with an audience capacity of 35-45. It has a bar, so suitable for audiences over 18 only.

Suitable for spoken word/poetry, acoustic music (unplugged, owing to the limits of size and noise levels) and small theatre shows.

Upstairs is within the working cafe area with room for two acoustic performers and an audience of 35-45.

Location: 17 High St, SP7 8JS
Contact: Renate Lisney
Email: kingalfredskitchen@aol.com
Telephone: 07919 016289

The King’s Arms sits in the centre of Shaftesbury, backing onto Bell Street Car Park. The old skittle alley provides an excellent event space, with an audience capacity of 40 inside and more on the terrace in good weather.

Suitable for small musical groups, comedy and spoken word.

Location: Bleke St, SP7 8JZ
Contact: Kirstie Macey
Email: hello@kingsarmsshaftesbury.co.uk
Phone: 01747 612614
https://www.kingsarmsshaftesbury.co.uk

The venue is the garden patio at the rear of this prestigious restaurant with rooms.
Available from 12:30 – 3pm on all three days.

Will suit an individual or duo best as is quite small so ideal for acoustic music, spoken word and possibly comedy.

Audience capacity 25-30 maximum.

Location: Bleke St, SP7 8AW
Contact: David Griffin-Shepherd
Email: info@lafleurdelys.co.uk
Phone: 01747 853717
https://www.lafleurdelys.co.uk

A centrally located public house. Two separate areas are available:
– The decking at the back of the bar with fabulous views over the vale, moving inside the bar in case of wet weather. Great for small musical groups.
– The valley view room, particularly suitable for comedy performances, children’s events or spoken word.

Available from 10am – 10pm on all three days.

Audience capacity ~100

Location: 23 High Street, SP7 8JE
Contact: Jonathan Brown
Email: mitre@youngs.co.uk
Phone: 07500 967468
https://themitredorset.co.uk

Resurrecting the infamous old Angola 76 & Muston’s Bar live music venue for an amazing 3-day festival of music. Revisit your old memories and make some new ones with a cocktail bar, American smokehouse BBQ and the best live music. Indoor centre stage with amazing acoustics, plus outside area for chilling.

Audience capacity ~150

Location: Mustons Yard, SP7 8AD
Contact: Sally Francis
Email: info@bearwithus.co.uk
Phone: 07730 895616
facebook.com/mustonsbar

Situated just out of the main centre of town, Pitchers is located inside the Football Club, a modern building with a comfortable quiet bar area and a large adjoining function room.

A custom outdoor stage will be built for Fringe, moving inside to the hall, a large open space with 2 bars, in case of inclement weather.

Suitable for all types of music from country to rock to ska, accommodating an audience of up to 200.

Location: Coppice St, SP7 8PD
Contact: Chloe Parker
Email: info@pitchersbar.uk
Phone: 07885 673418

Situated in a small garden centre offering an idyllic setting, the venue is outdoors and equipped with a small marquee for up to four performers.

Suitable for acoustic music and perhaps small choirs, also comedy, spoken word and poetry.

It accommodates up to 100 people sitting and standing.

Location: 7 Swans Yard, SP7 8JQ
Contact: Nick Andrew
Email: info@thepottingshedshaftesbury.com
Phone: 01747 853642