Q&A with The Goods Shed Arts Centre, Tetbury

The Goods Shed Arts Centre is a highly popular venue for the Tetbury community, located just five minutes from our Steepleton development. This unique destination offers an inspiring array  of music, film, and arts right on their doorstep. Pegasus Homes is proud to partner with the Goods Shed and is actively supporting its exciting new café redevelopment project. We recently caught up with the team at The Goods Shed to ask a few questions about their goings-on and their plans for the future.

Tell us a little bit about The Goods Shed?

The Goods Shed was rescued following an extraordinary 1998 meeting convened by Prince Charles at the Royal Oak pub, after local enthusiast Will Cook discovered British Rail intended to sell the derelict rail site for housing. As a result, the site was sold to the Tetbury Feoffees and the Town Council for community development.

The Tetbury Rail Lands Regeneration Trust (TRLRT) was set up as a charity in 2000 to develop the land. After several years of discussion, during which time the building caught fire and was later fireproofed by the council, the building was ultimately recreated as an Arts Centre through immense local effort and fundraising. It was officially opened by our patron, Prince Charles, in December 2016 and has thrived ever since.

How has the building's railway history influenced its current atmosphere and purpose?

Key original features retained include the massive original entrance doors used for cart access. The former external loading bay has been cleverly repurposed as an outdoor event stage and café seating area. Inside the main hall, the railway story lives on through displays of photographs, staff memories, and a detailed history timeline. Most recently, we re-installed the original signal box, rescued by local author Stephen Reynolds, grounding the centre in its Victorian railway character.

Could you tell us about the Whistle Stop Café? Beyond the main performances, what makes the Whistle Stop Café and social space a draw for locals?

The Whistle Stop Café is a vital part of The Goods Shed in its own right, not just a support for our main activities. It sits directly on the Tetbury Trail, making it a mecca for walkers, cyclists, and runners enjoying the former railway path, as well as visitors to the adjacent railway-themed playground. Its crowning glory is the exceptional selection of cakes, which of course you deserve after all that walking, cycling and running!

Currently operating from a marquee, we’ve secured planning permission for a new, permanent, railway-themed café. We are now focused on fundraising the £250,000 needed to make this exciting, year-round destination a reality.

The Goods Shed successfully balances supporting local Cotswolds talent with attracting national and internationally recognised performers. How do you  achieve this range?

We actively encourage and feature the rich local arts scene, supporting emerging performers, small theatre groups, and hosting annual art exhibitions for local visual artists. We also partner with local education, featuring music groups from Westonbirt School in our popular Wednesday afternoon concerts.

We build on this local focus through the strong reputation we've developed, which now attracts international stars like Melvyn Tan and Alistair McGowan. Acts who have played here often contact us to return. We also successfully diversify, regularly selling out popular tribute bands. Critically, our new partnership with the Royal Academy of Music brings talented students to give amazing daytime concerts, benefiting both our audience and the students.

What is the most rewarding aspect  of continuing the Goods Shed's legacy  in Tetbury?

There are so many rewarding aspects, but perhaps the biggest is our wonderful volunteers. They are essential; running events and maintenance, and without them, the Goods Shed would simply not be a viable option.

It’s also hugely rewarding to see the increasing number of people attending our events from the wider community, showing we have made our mark despite the challenges of recent years. We are immensely proud of the variety of our artistic offering for all tastes and ages, and we continue  to develop our community service with outreach to local schools, charities, and care homes.

Looking ahead, what are your most exciting upcoming plans for The Goods Shed?

Our most exciting plan is the construction of a dedicated, permanent railway-themed café. This will significantly expand our daytime activities and free up the main hall to run more workshops and daytime events, increasing our income. It will also allow us to host evening meals and run our bar from indoors during winter.

On the sustainability front, we have just secured grants to install solar panels to reduce overheads, and we are working with Greening Tetbury on rewilding efforts. Artistically, we are dedicated  to accessibility, providing space for community activities like chess and knitting groups in the main hall or our wonderful, refurbished Railway Carriage, which also serves as a café extension and green room.

Ultimately, we aim to ensure the Goods Shed remains a magnet for years to come, whether  you seek the best in music and the arts – or simply the best in cakes and coffee!

If you are interested in a property in Tetbury, consider our Steepleton community. Call the team on 0203 695 3206 for more information.