St Laurence's Church Old Town Hall The Shambles The Cross Subscription Rooms Bedford Street Congregational Chapel Sims' Clock Police Station School of Science & Art Lansdown Brickrow Railway Station Stroud House Royal George Hotel Imperial Hotel British School
GRO Subscription Rooms IMG 0925
What: Historic neo-classical building built in 1834
Where: GL5 1AE   George Street
Then: Built with the funds raised by public subscription, these rooms have hosted meetings, concerts, dances and just about everything, from riots against the Temperance movement to mania for The Beatles
Now: Still a host to many communal activities, it is also Stroud's Tourist Information Office

The Subscription Rooms were built in 1833-34 to the designs of George Basevi, although the local architect Charles Baker supervised the work. The cost of £2,500 was raised by public subscription (hence the name). The projecting porch and the balcony above it, were added in 1868-69, and a brick extension at the back was put up in 1925.

The large upper floor has been used from the start for meetings, concerts, dances etc., and the balcony has been used for many public addresses announcing the results of parliamentary elections.

In 1857, a public reading room was opened on the ground floor. This space is now the Tourist Information Centre.

The Subscription Rooms were completely refurbished in 2000

More information - SLHS website Sub Rooms

From January 2016, this website is managed by Stroud Local History Society

Revised 2018 EMW