St Peter’s twice reborn

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20th century rebirth and 21st century transformation

The 20th century rebirth: Under the care of the Friends, St Peter’s hosted concerts of so many kinds; fairs and markets; town and civic events; receptions, celebrations, school holiday clubs, flower festivals, Christmas tree festivals, fireworks off the tower, cookery demonstrations, fashion shows, horticultural shows, historical exhibitions, art exhibitions, model railway exhibitions, medieval banquets, medieval fairs, Christmas card shops, farmers’ markets and so much else, even a group juggling with flaming torches. For many years Churches Together in Sudbury ran a very popular drop-in cafe on Thursday lunchtimes.

The Friends increased the number of visitors each year to St Peter’s to the many tens of thousands. No wonder that much of the equipment wore out. The Friends did indeed manage to “prove the use… for the benefit of the town” and enabled St Peter’s to find a way back into the hearts and minds of the townsfolk whose lives it had enriched for hundreds of years.

21st century transformation: The Friends proved that St Peter’s could sustainably enrich the lives of local people but the fabric of the building, in particular the roof, needed significant repairs. After these much needed repairs were completed St Peter’s re-opened in late 2023 as Sudbury Arts Centre under new management and a new ethos. The Friends now take a back seat but are still there just in case St Peter’s stumbles when ambition meets financial reality .

Presentation by the CCT on future running of Sudbury Arts Centre

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On 14 April the CCT (or to give it its full name, the Churches Conservation Trust) gave a presentation to about 50 representatives of the town on the options for the future running of Sudbury Arts Centre (SAC). The CCT has been running Sudbury Arts Centre since April 2025, from early 2023 onwards they sub-contracted this out to the Bridge Project until the Bridge Project failed in March 2025.

The costs of the staff employed at SAC are currently covered by funding from the Lottery Heritage Fund and this funding ceases by the end of 2026. The CCT now needs to decide, with the agreement of the Heritage Lottery Fund, how SAC will be run once the funding ceases as clearly at this stage the costs of running SAC exceed the income it generates.

The CCT summarised the background to the renovation project and set out the reasons for the presentation and then put forward five options for running SAC of which two (carrying on with existing staffing or carry on with reduced staffing) were the preferred options. The other options were to outsource the running of SAC to a third party, running it as a village hall for hire with minimal staffing or closing the building were also shown in the presentation. All these options are the standard ones you would expect in the circumstances.

The CCT are in the early stages of the decision making process for the future running of SAC and they had not yet completed their financial forecasts for the two preferred options. As a result they were not able to give any indicative figures for the cost of running SAC or the income projections which was a shame as without this information it is difficult to evaluate the different options being presented or to discuss them in any meaningful way.

Whatever option for the future running of SAC is adopted this year the CCT has stated that they will run it for 2 to 3 years before reviewing it again. We understand that the CCT trustees will be meeting in June to make a decision on the particular option to be adopted.

At the end of the presentation there was a Q&A session which covered a wide range of subjects. We said we were committed to ensuring St Peter’s and SAC remained a community event space for the benefit of the Sudbury community as that was the basis for the renovation project to which many of those present, including ourselves, had given substantial funding. We also asked if the CCT had considered a more community based management structure with say volunteers to act as duty managers, assist in marketing and the like. This would reduce the cost of running the venue and so clearly help its future sustainability. The CCT did not respond to this. The representative from Babergh District Council asked for a budget for the venue, clearly anticipating they would be asked for provide grants at some future date for the running of the venue. The CCT did confirm during this part of the presentation that they were not considering leasing the venue to a religious group as say in St Mary at the Quay in Ipswich.

After a lot of other comments and a good few questions the meeting broke up.

Meetings with the Churches Conservation Trust – in 2026

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As of May 2026 we have had two of our regular meetings with the CCT and there was also a presentation by the CCT to various representatives of the town in April. This April meeting was about the various options available to the CCT in running Sudbury Arts Centre once the funding from the Lottery Fund ceases at the end of 2026. There is a separate post about this as it is clearly a very important topic which is here.

A summary of our regular meetings with the CCT since the start of 2026 is below.

The organ: the organ in St Peter’s is struggling at the moment with sets of pipes becoming inoperable due to long term damage, caused either through damp, temperature changes, sheer old-age or a combination of all three. The CCT does not take responsibililty for the organ, if we want it fixed we need to fund it (including finding funding) ourselves. As of May 2026 the CCT have recommended a firm to us to investigate the causes of issues with the organ and we will be taking this up.

The Bells: There may be a chance to ring all 10 bells from the mezzanine floor by judicious re-hanging of some of the bells. We look forward to more detail from the Suffolk Guild however this is taking more time to progress than we had hoped but we are still hopeful that it will happen at some stage in the future but we are talking years here.

Religious services in St Peter’s: the CCT has now confirmed that up to six services a year can take place in St Peter’s. Up to now it has been very difficult to get bookings for services in the building, this includes the St Peter’s Day service which traditionally always took place in St Peter’s and this year falls on June 29.

Lighting in St Peter’s: Good news, the CCT may well use the funding it has from the renovation project to replace the existing lights with LED ones. Not I am afraid ones that are all the colours of the rainbow (just plain white light) but at least the new lights should last longer than the existing ones.

Banners hanging from lamp-posts outside St Peter’s: We have been asked to fund replacement ones out of the orginal donation we gave the CCT to purchase equipment.

Installation of cleaners sink: Currently St Peter’s does not have a sink that the cleaners can use to dispose of dirty water, the ones in the kitchen are, as you would expect, purely for food related activities. We were asked to fund the installation of one but the CCT has in fact managed to find alternative funding so hopefully this will be going ahead soon.

Meetings with the Churches Conservation Trust – in 2025

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Since February 2025 we have a number of meetings with the Churches Conservation Trust (the CCT) to discuss a number of issues which included those set out below.

The organ: the organ in St Peter’s is struggling at the moment with sets of pipes becoming inoperable due to long term damage, caused either through damp, temperature changes, sheer old-age or a combination of all three. Short term fixes are being made where possible but overall the organ needs substantial repair works to be undertaken and this is likely to cost a substantial six figure sum. This will though give us the option of installing an electric console to replace the current keyboards which would have a number of advantages including increasing the variety of sounds that the organ can produce and being able to move the keyboard out of its current almost invisible cubby hole so that the player can actually see the audience or even the other musicians the organist is mkaing musi with.

We are now starting to look at fundraising for the organ repairs and also getting CCT approval for the major works required by the organ. Neither of which are exactly small tasks!

The Humidifier: there has been no resolution on this issues. We were initially advised that a humidifier was necessary to protect the organ from drying out but to date (December 2025) readings of a hygrometer have shown that the humidity in the building is not so high or so low that it would cause damage to the organ. The CCT has not been convinced of the necessity of the humidifier and so currently we are not looking to install one.

The Ringing Chamber: Plan B is now that there may be a chance to ring all 10 bells from the mezzanine floor by judicious re-hanging of some of the bells. We look forward to more detail from the Suffolk Guild however this is taking more time to progress than we had hoped but we are still hopeful that it will happen.

Community Bookings: the difficulties encountered by some community hirers in booking St Peter’s were raised by the Friends with the CCT when the Bridge Project were in place. The CCT were not prepared to intervene at that stage. These difficulties still persist even where the CCT is running St Peter’s directly. It is clear that the CCT does not consider itself in a position to take any action on this point so for now this issue is not being pursued by the Friends. Obviously we are hopeful that if there are changes in the management approach once the funding from the Lottery Fund runs out (currently likely to be in October 2026) that substantial improvements in this area can be made. Overall though a disappointing situation given all the promises given for the renovation project.

Churches Conservation Trust takes back Sudbury Arts Centre

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Following the failure of the Bridge Project Sudbury in March 2025 the Churches Conservation Trust, which had leased St Peter’s to the Bridge Project, took back the day to day running of St Peter’s and the three staff previously employed by the Bridge Project to run Sudbury Arts Centre transferred to The Churches Conservation Trust. WIth just a couple of weeks closure the building continued to run as a vibrant event venue in the middle of Sudbury. This was great news and everyone in Sudbury was very happy that the CCT (or Churches Conservation Trust to give it its full name) has taken this step.

Fast forward to October 2026 and the future is not so clear cut. On-going funding for Sudbury Arts Centre from the Lottery Fund is not forever and as of December 2025 there is no additional funding secured after October 2026 to run Sudbury Arts Centre with its now four staff members. The community will need to work together with the CCT to make sure this venue can continue to run while on a financially sustainable business model.

But at least for now the venue is still operating and that in itself is an accomplishment.

December 2025

Bridge Project announces closure

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On 14 March 2025 the Bridge Project Sudbury announced it was closing due to financial pressures. We believe their final day of operations will be 28 March with all staff being made redundant shortly after. This is a really really sad event for the users of the Bridge Project, the staff and volunteers at the Bridge and Sudbury Arts Centre and for Sudbury for whom the Sudbury Arts Centre was establishing itself as the go to venue.

What we will do: We, the Friends, will do our utmost to keep the Sudbury Arts Centre open after 28 March. We are working in close coordination with the Churches Conservation Trust, who are responsible for St Peter’s, to ensure the staff are kept on, the building kept open and for all events including those already booked and those yet to be booked to take place. For now a short term solution is required to ensure the building stays open, the staff stay employed and the venue continues to operate until a longer term solution can be put into place.

We have already spoken to the Sudbury Arts Centre staff to say that they have our full support to keep the venue going. We have been in contact with the Churches Conservation Trust who have assured us, at the highest level, that they are committed to keeping the building open and we have offered them our full support so this happens. Here is their most recent media release on their support for Sudbury Arts Centre.

We are sure that everyone in Sudbury and the nearby communities will be joining together to make sure this wonderful building continues to be a welcoming and exciting venue for everyone to enjoy. So – stay tuned for more news on how we can together make this happen.

This post .has been updated as of 22 March 2025 and we will update it as things develop.

Meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust – 19 February

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Following on from our September meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust (the CCT) we had another meeting on 19 February 2025 to discuss a number of issues which included those set out below.

The Humidifier: finally Roger Green from the Friends has been able to arrange a date to meet the CCT architect to discuss this. We are hopeful that the architect will be able to convince the CCT that the installation is a minor item, completely reversible and should not require detailed and expensive plans in order to get CCT approval.

The Ringing Chamber: Plan B is now that there may be a chance to ring all 10 bells from the mezzanine floor by judicious re-hanging of some of the bells. We look forward to more detail from the Suffolk Guild.

Community Bookings: the difficulties encountered by some community hirers in booking St Peter’s were raised by the Friends with the CCT. The CCT stated that they had an arms length relationship with the Bridge who had to run Sudbury Arts Centre as a commerical venue. A disappointing response given all the promises given for the renovation project.

Meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust – 18 September

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Following on from our June meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust (the CCT) we had another on 18 September to discuss a number of issues which included:

(i) follow up on the installation of a humidifier for the organ
(ii) follow up on the repairs needed to the bell chamber as a result of the renovation project
(iii) installation of solar panels

At the start of the meeting the Friends reported on the St Peter’s Day Service in St Peter’s which had been very well attended, over 180 people were there and the community spirit in St Peter’s was almost touchable.

The Humidifier: the CCT asked the Friends to provide a technical specification for the humidifier and its installation and to work with the CCT architect on this. We explained we had already provided the technical specification for the humidifier and it was now just for the water supply and drainage and the electrical supply to be confirmed. It was agreed that a meeting with the architect, the plumber, the electrician, the Friends and the CCT would be arranged so that plans could be drawn up and then submitted to the CCT conservation department for approval.

The Ringing Chamber: The Friends will arrange for a local contractor to design and quote for the repair work across the floor of the bells chamber and the Suffolk Guild will then be able to recommend a suitable contractor.

Solar Panels: the Friends asked for details of the electricity usage of the building to assist in the feasibility of such a project.

Garden Area: the Friends noted this was looking somewhat sad. The CCT reported that the Bridge are working with their volunteers to upgrade the area.

Meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust – 18 June

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We had a meeting with the Churches Conservation Trust (the CCT) on 18 June to discuss a number of issues which included:

(i) the holding the St Peter’s Day service in St Peter’s
(ii) the installation of a humidifier for the organ
(iii) trip hazards in the bell chamber as a result of the renovation project
(iv) installation of solar panels.

There had been much correspondence between the Friends, Churches Together, the CCT and the Bridge Project to ensure the St Peter’s Day Service in St Peter’s went ahead in late June. Initially there was resistance by the CCT and the Bridge Project to this Service taking place. Once however the depth of community feeling on this was fully communicated by the Friends and Churches Together it was agreed the service could go ahead. It was also agreed that this Service could take place annually. A good result for everyone and the Friends thanked the CCT for making this happen.

The Humidifier: the Friends explained the urgent need for this (the organ will dry out over during the heating season and this will damage the instrument) and what the installation required which was an electrical supply, water supply in and water supply out (i.e. a drain). It was agreed that a meeting between the CCT, the Friends and the organ builders (who would supervise the installation of the humidifier) would be useful. Installation would need to fit in with the Bridge activities.

The Ringing Chamber: There are trip hazards from the guidance of the bell ropes in the floor of the ringing chamber and with a cable running about 9 inches above the ringing chamber floor level from which the rope spider above the mezzanine hangs. It was suggested that a false floor would resolve the issue. It was also requested that the CCT raises this as a snagging issue as it seems very unlikely that these works would have been specified by the architect. A report on this prepared by Peter Upson (Friends trustee and bell ringer) was presented to the CCT.

Solar Panels: the Friends will investigate the feasibility of such a project to understand time, costs, logistics, accessibility and listed building consent so that a Community Initiative Plan can be proposed to proceed.

Peter Gray, long term trustee, steps down

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Very sadly for us, Peter Gray stepped down as trustee in June 2024. He joined us back in the early 2010s and was very active managing events in St Peter’s and in working with the CCT on the renovation project. He was appointed Vice-Chairman, then Chairman and then stepped down to Vice-Chairman again as his personal work commitments mounted up.

Peter was always a joy to work with, a fine sense of humour, a very consensual style when dealing with people and a love of proper beer. Plus if there were any issues with the plumbing, the locks, the roof alarms or anything else at St Peter’s he was your go to man – if he could not fix it then he always knew a man that could.

We are very pleased that Peter will continue to be a volunteer for us and St Peter’s – but equally sad he is not part of the trustee team any longer.