Aldeburgh Music

Launched in 2000, the Pumphouse has quickly established itself as a charismatic addition to the Aldeburgh Festival. The combination of its raw-found beauty, intimacy and eclectic programme has made it very popular with audiences and performers.

Stories of world premieres performed on spoons, shows involving feathers and honey, Elvis impersonators and late night impromptu appearances by some of the world’s top musicians have already entered the Aldeburgh Festival folklore.

With little or no infrastructure, the Pumphouse has only just been able to stay ahead of licensing regulations, until recent years when it became increasingly apparent that we would have to make basic improvements in order to conform to modern standards.

Thanks to an initial grant from Suffolk Coastal District Council and a lease granted by Aldeburgh Town Council for a small strip of land alongside the property, we are now in a position to move ahead and make modest improvements to the building.

Plans have been drawn up by Haworth Tompkins, the same architects who have won so much acclaim for our project at Snape Maltings, for an extension down the west side to include a dressing room, toilets and a small foyer.

Wanting to preserve the unique nature of the Victorian brick structure, the proposed extension takes its cue from the nearby allotment sheds, industrial workshops and the fisherman's huts on the beach.

The plans are available for inspection at Suffolk Coastal District Council’s offices in Melton, as well as at the Box Office on Aldeburgh High Street.

The money for the building work is largely in place though we will be asking supporters of the Pumphouse to consider contributing to the running costs from next year, when we plan to have it up and running again.