It was meant to be a shining example of regeneration in Glastonbury — a £3 million community hub bringing together music, arts, youth work and small businesses under one roof at the Red Brick Building.

Instead, the Life Factory project has been paused mid-build, embroiled in financial trouble, subject to an independent audit, and facing public anger over unpaid local contractors.

So, what's gone wrong? And can it be fixed?

What is the Life Factory?

The Life Factory is part of Glastonbury's £23.6 million Town Deal — government funding meant to kickstart a better future for places like Glastonbury. The Red Brick Building's 'Building C' was supposed to be transformed into a creative hub with radio studios, makerspaces, youth services, therapy rooms, and more.

It was awarded nearly £2.9 million, with a further £250,000 expected from match funding.

Why was work stopped?

In early 2024, Somerset Council — which oversees the Town Deal funding — froze payments to the Red Brick Building project. It had concerns over financial governance, invoicing, and whether the money was being spent correctly.

So what is the audit — and why does it matter?

The audit is an independent investigation carried out by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) — a body that checks whether public money is being properly spent.

In this case, Somerset Council ordered the audit after concerns were raised about how nearly £3 million of Town Deal funding was being used on the Life Factory project at the Red Brick Building.

Auditors were asked to look at:

• How the money has been spent
• Whether proper financial controls were in place
• If the project is being managed according to the rules in the funding agreement
• Whether any public money needs to be recovered

It's basically a deep-dive into the books — looking at invoices, governance, timelines, and compliance with funding regulations.

What did the audit find?

An internal audit by the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) into the £2.89 million Life Factory project has found serious failings in governance, financial oversight, and project delivery.

The report confirms that match funding was never secured, despite being a key condition of the grant. There was no fully costed project plan, no clear timeline with milestones, and inadequate documentation to support claims for public money already spent.

Auditors found that the Red Brick Building and its subsidiary, Beckery Construction Company, did not follow proper procurement or financial processes — with missing records, informal staffing arrangements, and poor budget monitoring.

The audit also criticised Somerset Council for not escalating risks sooner, continuing to approve payments even after issues were flagged. As of January 2025, more than £2.3 million had been spent, with little visible progress at the site.

The report warns that the government may seek to claw back funding if the agreed outcomes cannot be delivered. The audit has been given a "No Assurance" rating — the most serious level — and will be presented to Somerset Council's Audit Committee on Thursday 22 May.

What about the workers?

Contractors say they haven't been paid since March 2024. R4 Scaffolding told the town council they kept working in good faith, but never saw their invoices settled. One subcontractor claimed around 40 people had been left out of pocket. Another, Jonathan Wilkins, told the council he lost his wife to suicide amid the financial stress.

The emotional and financial toll is huge — and still unresolved.

Is the building safe?

Building C remains unfinished, with no roof. Somerset Council brought in structural engineers who warned the wooden frame can't stay exposed much longer without risking damage.

The Red Brick Building board says it's doing everything it can to make the structure watertight, but it still doesn't have planning permission, a bat licence, or a contractor to put the roof on.

Who is being held accountable?

The audit report makes it clear that responsibility lies with both Somerset Council and the Red Brick Building Centre Ltd.

As the accountable body for the Glastonbury Town Deal, Somerset Council is criticised for failing to escalate concerns or apply appropriate oversight. Auditors found that payments were processed without key checks, that risk reports downplayed the seriousness of the situation, and that claims were approved despite missing evidence. The council has acknowledged that its internal controls "could have been strengthened".

However, the majority of the control failures were found within the Red Brick Building and its subsidiary, Beckery Construction Company. The report highlights a lack of basic financial procedures, missing contracts, and no proper governance between the two organisations. Match funding was never secured, and standard requirements like competitive procurement, budget monitoring and timesheet reporting were not followed.

While the council is now reviewing its oversight processes, it is The Red Brick Building and Beckery Construction Company who face the most serious questions over how nearly £2.3 million in public money was used — and what can be salvaged from the stalled project.

What happens now?

Unless matched funding is found — and the outstanding issues are resolved — the Life Factory may end up as little more than a shell.

So far, 74% of the project's budget has been spent. Yet the building is still unfinished, planning permission is incomplete, and the community is still waiting for answers.