Glastonbury's Red Brick Building has been given time to develop a recovery plan after Somerset Council confirmed it will not pursue its claim over Life Factory funding for now.

The council has lodged a claim to recover funding provided for the failed Life Factory project, but says it will pause action while Red Brick develops and delivers a viable recovery plan.

A Somerset Council spokesperson said: "Senior Members and officers at Somerset Council have met with Red Brick's emerging recovery group and wished them well with their endeavours.

"The Council has lodged a claim to recover the funding provided for the Life Factory project but has been clear it will not pursue that claim while Red Brick develops and delivers a viable recovery plan for the organisation."

The update follows Red Brick Building Centre Ltd's Annual General Meeting on Monday, 11 May, where shareholders elected a new interim board.

The Morland Road venue says it is now entering a transitional recovery phase after a period of serious financial and operational challenge linked largely to the halted Life Factory project.

The new board says its immediate focus is financial stabilisation, transparency, rebuilding trust and developing a realistic long-term plan for the Red Brick Building.

Newly elected board member Wendy Robinson said: "The Red Brick Building has faced an exceptionally challenging period, but there remains enormous passion and determination to protect the future of this space.

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"Right now, our focus is on stabilising the organisation responsibly, understanding the full financial position clearly, and rebuilding from there."

The Life Factory was intended to turn part of the Red Brick site into a space for work, training and community activities.

Somerset Council paused the scheme in January 2024 after concerns were raised. Auditors later identified problems including poor checks on spending, missing paperwork, no secured extra funding, no planning permission and no proper contract between Red Brick Building Centre Ltd and Beckery Construction Company Ltd.

More than £2.3 million had been paid by the time the project was halted. The Life Factory section was left unfinished, and some contractors said they had not been paid.

Red Brick later described the collapse as a "collective failure". Somerset Council has previously said it took too long to stop the project and should not have paid some claims.

Beckery Construction later went into liquidation owing more than £686,000, with 26 local businesses, mainly small contractors, facing losses.

Police began looking into the Life Factory matter in June 2025 after a referral. No findings have been announced.

A linked Glastonbury Food and Regenerative Farming Centre project was also cancelled. In May 2026, Somerset Council said that project may still be revived separately, subject to further conditions including due diligence and a new grant agreement.

At the Red Brick site, recent community-led clean-up work has also been highlighted by the organisation as a sign of renewed momentum.

The clean-up was started by local resident Andy Denham and supported by Red Brick, volunteers, tenants, families and members of the wider community. It included clearing a long-standing fly-tip area at the site.

Red Brick is now taking bookings for workshops, classes, meetings, rehearsals, performances and community events.

It is also inviting enquiries from prospective tenants, with a small number of artisan workspaces, media hub desk spaces and flexible hot-desk spaces available.

The new board says substantial work is still needed, including financial restructuring, governance improvements, rebuilding public trust and establishing a sustainable operating model.

The organisation says it intends to continue engaging with shareholders, tenants, local residents and partner organisations as recovery planning develops over the coming months.

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